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Samson Sky shared footage of the Switchblade prototype completing its official first flight. The flying car ascended to 500 feet and flew over the countryside for nearly six minutes, a major milestone in its development.
"Dreams do come true," Samson Sky CEO and Designer Sam Bousfield said. "I think this is your dream just as much as it is mine, so take a win! Together we made it happen, and I am sure we will all help bring it along until Switchblades are commonplace."
Test pilot Robert Moehle flew the Switchblade on its inaugural flight, landing smoothly at the Grant County International Airport after the six-minute journey. Under cloudy skies, the Samson Sky team gathered along the runway, watching as veteran pilot Moehle took off on the maiden flight. The Samson team filmed the milestone from along the runway and greeted Moehle upon his return.
"The Switchblade handled great," Moehle said. "I'm excited to be the first to fly it away from the ground."
Moehle trained in flight testing with The Boeing Company and served as test Director for the 787. He has flown 2,400 hours in 56 aircraft, including both commercial and experimental aircraft. He has given input during the recent development, helping the Samson team to perfect the prototype.
The Samson Switchblade has garnered worldwide interest, with over 2,300 reservations from 57 countries and all 50 states in the U.S. The flying car is made for versatility, from its ability to transition from the road to the sky as well as the dashboard made for right- or left-hand drive. This recent flight test is a major achievement for the team and a huge step in the development of the Switchblade flying car. The first flight's data will allow the team to finalize production engineering and build other production prototypes.
"After 14 years of design and rigorous testing, our first flight is a huge milestone," Bousfield said. "This puts us on the path towards producing thousands of Switchblades to meet the large and enthusiastic demand we're receiving."
Placed within the Experimental Aircraft category, the Switchblade has a maximum driving speed of over 125 miles per hour and an estimated max flight of 190 mph. The flying car has a hybrid electric system, using unleaded auto gas rather than leaded aviation fuel. The owners will have the ability to fuel at any auto gas station. Over nine patents have been issued or applied for in the U.S. and internationally. The flight has been a culmination of years of work and development.RELATED STORIES:Samson Sky prepares Switchblade flying car for flight testingSamson Sky 'flying car' updates - hybrid system advancement, steering changes
Drivers can park their Switchblade in their home garage, driving the street-legal vehicle to the airport where they can transition to flying mode in under three minutes, flying their registered aircraft to their next destination at 160 mph for up to 500 miles before refueling. The Switchblade has two side-by-side seats and room to store small travel bags. The wings and tail fold in to protect passengers while in driving mode. The engine will power the wheels on the ground and the propeller in the air. The estimated starting price is $170,000 and it includes the Samson Builder Assist Program, where owners can spend a week assembling their portion of the vehicle at a Build Center. Samson professionals will guide and oversee the entire process and no special skills are required, with Samson completing the building of the rest of the vehicle. A Private Pilot's license is required to fly the Switchblade but more and more reservations come in from non-pilots planning to learn to fly.
Samson has made major changes in design in 2023, changing the steering of the front wheel and lightening the prototype. During the week of AirVenture, Samson saw record sales for the flying car. The event brought in the addition of nearly $22 million to the order books thanks to the addition of 115 vehicles. In August the team underwent three days of testing, with one weather delay day due to rain. Despite the weather, the team completed the taxi tests needed to clear the vehicle for flight testing.
"Today is the culmination of many years of hard work and persistence to make the vision of a flying sports car a reality," Bousfield said. "Someone asked me how it felt to see the Switchblade fly. I thought about it, and realized this is what it feels like when your dreams come true."