Samson Sky's 'Switchblade,' a street-legal "flying sports car" officially registered as a motorcycle with an estimated price of $170,000, has reportedly succeeded in its first flight that saw the flying automobile navigate the skies of the Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington.
The test flight happened at the airport where Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers perform flight tests. Interesting Engineering reported that the "flying sports car" was flown to a 500-foot height, circling for around six minutes before successfully landing.
(Photo : Toru Hanai/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The SkyDrive Inc. SD-03 flying car is test-flown during a demonstration to the media.
Samson Sky's CEO, Sam Bousfield, reportedly lauded the achievement by stating that "this puts [the company] on the path towards producing thousands of Switchblades to meet the large and enthusiastic demand [Samson Sky is] receiving."
The flying sports car 'Switchblade' was flown by "excited" veteran test pilot Robert Moehle. He described the flying car as "handled great." The veteran pilot reportedly spent years developing the 'Switchblade' to fulfill CEO, developer, and designer Sam Bousfield's vision of a genuine high-performance flying automobile.
Read Also: Japan Achieves First Manned Outdoor Flying Car Flight Successfully
A DIY, Consumer-Friendly Flying Car
A caveat for consumers looking to buy the 'flying sports car' is that it will reportedly be sold as an experimental, homebuilt, do-it-yourself aircraft wherein more than half of the flying automobile will be built by the consumer.
Samson, however, ensured its clients the accessibility of the assembly process by promising that there would be a Builder Assist Center where users could complete the task in a week with all the necessary equipment and on-site guidance.
Users can refuel at any gas station thanks to the vehicle's innovative hybrid electric system, which utilizes unleaded auto gasoline rather than leaded aviation fuel. It is intended to allow for right- or left-hand driving, depending on where it is being driven. The engine drives the wheels on the ground and the propeller when flown.
The two-seat vehicle can be parked in a regular garage, but its users will need at least an approximately 100 ft (335 m) clear tarmac to take off.
Future of the Flying Automobile 'Switchblade'
Simple flying reports that Samson Sky will be able to construct several prototypes since production engineering will be completed using data from the flight test. At its fastest, the 'Switchblade' can travel at about 125 miles per hour (201 km/h). The flying automobile has a top speed of 13,000 feet and an estimated 190 mph (305 km/h) when in flight.
Production will be complex, according to a New Atlas report. Additionally, there is no word when exactly the "flying sports car" will reach its production phase.
The 'Switchblade', sometimes called "the flying sports car," is made to reduce lengthy road trips up to ten hours into three and a half hours from door to door.
The first flight was reportedly one year after the FAA declared it airworthy and fourteen years after it was initially revealed. With a push of a button, this street-legal three-wheeler can be transformed into an aircraft in less than three minutes, capable of 305 km/h air travel as far as 500 miles away.
This flying automobile is reportedly one of the most sought-after flying cars in the world, after approximately 2,300 reservations in 57 countries have already been made, showing the enormous demand for the 14-year in-the-making flying automobile.
A video of the first test flight for Samson Sky's 'Switchblade' was published on YouTube.
Related Article: This Chinese Automaker Wants to Take Electric Vehicles into the Skies
