The AirVenture aviation celebration in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was the backdrop for an exciting development in the world of flying cars. The Switchblade, the world’s most popular flying car, saw a significant addition of 115 vehicles to its order books, amounting to a value of nearly $22 million. This two-seat flying sports car has garnered global attention, with over 2400 reservations from 57 countries, including all 50 US states. Samson Sky, the developers of the Switchblade, took a break from their ongoing flight test program to showcase the vehicle at this world-class event. The Switchblade’s unique design and capabilities have garnered a lot of support. Heather G., a pilot and Switchblade enthusiast, shared her excitement about using the vehicle for both recreation and business purposes.
Martha Hall Bousfield, Samson Reservations Manager, reported that the event was a hub of enthusiasm for the innovative vehicle. Jon H., a pilot and engineer, expressed his anticipation for having a car that can fly, highlighting the convenience it offers. Sam Bousfield, the designer of the Switchblade and the Founder and CEO of Samson Sky, found the AirVenture event to be a great opportunity to engage with industry experts and potential partners. The event facilitated key meetings that contributed to the success of the Switchblade project.
The Switchblade’s test flights have been conducted at the Moses Lake Airport in Central Washington. The flight test team is ensuring that the vehicle, powered by a 200 hp liquid-cooled Samson 3 engine, meets the company’s high-performance standards as both a car and a plane.
The flight testing will continue for several months as the Samson Team refines the production engineering to start Switchblade production. The Samson team has been diligently working on the production details to meet the high demand for the Switchblade. They have spent nearly four years developing carbon fiber production processes to enable quick and cost-effective parts production. The Switchblade is a three-wheel, street-legal vehicle that can be parked in a garage. It can be driven to a nearby airport, where it transforms into a registered aircraft in under three minutes.
It can fly to the nearest airport at speeds of up to 160mph, and then transform back into a car for the final leg of the journey. Bousfield expressed optimism about the practicality of the Switchblade, stating that it checks all the boxes for what people truly want in a flying car.
