Samson’s Flying Car Prepares for Flight in 2018

Oregon based American company, Samson Motors, announced the Switchblade, which it claims is the world’s first flying sports car, is ready for launch in spring 2018. 

Samson’s three-wheeled flying vehicle offers a cruising altitude of 13,000 feet and a 200mph top speed in the air, the two-seater features extendable wings and a retractable tail that fold out – either manually or electronically. The Switchblade’s top ground speed is reported in excess of 100mph.

In ground mode, the car is 5.1 metres long, and just 1.8m wide making it a smaller than a or the same length as a standard Mercedes-Benz S-Class. In flight mode, the Switchblade’s length increases to 6.2m with the tail extended, while the wings fold out for a wingspan of 8.2m. The car’s takeoff weight is 794kg.

Takeoff and landing distances are 335m and 488m respectively, and although the car’s 26ft wingspan doesn’t allow road-based takeoffs, Samson claims that the car will be able to be flown from regular airports. At around 80mph, the car takes off naturally if the wings are extended, says Samson.

The Switchblade is powered by an engine of Samson’s own 190bhp liquid-cooled 1.6-litre V4, which returns fuel economy of around 48mpg on the ground, running on 91 Octane fuel.

In the air, it’s around 9g/hr, giving a range of around 450 miles from the 30-gallon fuel tank.

Transmission for driving is a five-speed unit.

A full driving license is required to operate the car on the roads and a private pilot’s license is required to fly it. US law dictates that 51% of the vehicle must be built by the owner, given its experimental/home-built classification. With Samson’s professional assistance, this can be completed in three weeks at a Samson Build Assist Center.

Standard kit on the Switchblade includes a premium sound system with MP3 compatibility, a reversing camera, a digital instrument display and leather seats.

Safety kit includes a parachute for the whole vehicle, disc brakes front and rear, rollover protection and crumple zones front and rear. There’s enough space for golf clubs in the storage area, although Samson only specifies up to around 23kg for luggage.

Prices for the Switchblade are targeted to start at around $100,000 although an extra $17,500 will be applied if owners opt for the Samson Build Assistance.

Three further variants of the machine will also be made available: Snowbird, for colder climates; Trek, a more rugged version with heavier-duty landing gear and extra mounts for additional cargo; and Aurora, which combines the Trek and Snowbird packs.

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