![]()
AIR Tashkent of Uzbekistan and U.S. company Samson Sky recently announced that they have completed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to bring the Switchblade Flying Car to the country of Uzbekistan, in Central Asia. The MOU was signed at AIR Tashkent's Grand Opening of the Easy to Fly Academy, where a new generation of aviation professionals will be trained.A key point in the MOU provides for AIR Tashkent to work with Samson Sky in facilitating the sale of 300 or more Switchblade Flying Cars in Uzbekistan. These sales would have a value exceeding $60MM USD (719MM UZS).Instrumental in bringing the two parties together was Anna V. Grebenshchikova, former aerobatic pilot and Ambassador for Samson Sky. "It started with an idea in 2024 to develop private aviation in Uzbekistan," said Anna. "Now we are speaking about innovations such as the Switchblade Flying Sports Car reaching the land of the ancient Silk Road."AIR Tashkent intends to make a bulk purchase for a portion of the 300 Switchblades, to be utilized for pilot training for personal and/or commercial use. The agreement is for Samson Sky to provide pilot training assistance using Samson flight simulators, and training for mechanics to support the sale and use of the flying car. Samson Sky will work with AIR Tashkent and the Uzbekistan government to qualify the Switchblade for road and flight use in the country. The Switchblade has already flown in the U.S. and is currently being launched into production there."The Switchblade will bring Uzbekistan a tremendous benefit of rapid regional travel," said Samson Sky CEO and Founder Sam Bousfield. "We see the potential for regional trips, both national and international, helping business and government to operate faster and more efficiently.""The joint efforts of AIR Tashkent and Samson Sky will lead to a significant breakthrough in the field of General Aviation and provide a technological connection between the USA and Uzbekistan," said Anvar Sulaymonov, Deputy Director of AIR Tashkent. "I am confident that this collaboration will help create even more genuine partnerships and open up new markets for the products and services for both companies."The Switchblade Flying Car, which had its successful official First Flight in Nov. 2023 is a hybrid-electric vehicle with sports car performance, accelerating from 0-60 mph/97 km/h in 5 seconds with a top ground speed of 125 mph/201 km/h and a 160 mph/257 km/h cruise speed. Using premium auto gas, it flies up to 500 miles/805 km at 13,000 ft on a single tank. For safety and insurance, all flying surfaces are enclosed within the vehicle while in driving mode. The Switchblade fits a standard garage and is driven to a nearby airport using highways or local roads. There, it transforms from driving to flying mode in three minutes at the push of a button. AIR Tashkent is the first private company providing individual high-quality aviation services in the country of Uzbekistan. The company is based on the principles of safety, reliability, and comfort and strives to provide passengers with the best flight experience. There are a wide range of routes around the world, a modern fleet of aircraft, a wide range of maintenance services and a professional team of specialists. The new approach is to travel on your own terms and choose your own routes, dates and times of your flights.