U.S.-based startup company Samson announced Project Sky Switchblade 14 years ago, but only managed to obtain a flight readiness certificate for its flying car prototype last year. It has then waited until late 2023 to conduct the first test flight.
The experiment took place at the Grant County Airport in Washington State, USA. The vehicle rose to an altitude of approximately 150 meters (500 feet), made a circle and landed at its original takeoff point. Not being capable of vertical takeoff and landing (unlike VTOLs), it required at least 335 meters (1,100 feet) of runway for both maneuvers.
The Samson Sky Switchblade has three wheels, two passenger seats, and can hit 200 km/h (124 mph) when driven as a car on highway. By unfolding the wings and the tail unit, it can lift off and reach 322 km/h (200 mph) at an altitude up to 400 m (1,300 feet). The startup claims that converting it from car into plane and vice versa only takes three minutes, and the process is fully automated.
For refueling, pilots can use ON91 and higher quality gasoline. The fuel tank holds up to 125 liters (33 U.S. gallons) of gas, which translates into 805 km (500 miles) of range. Samson avoids specifying whether that’s on land or when airborne, though, and it sounds a bit too good to be true for the latter.
Meanwhile, the company has reported receiving 2,300 pre-orders from 57 countries around the world. The estimated market price is $170,000.