Cutting-Edge Flying Car

Price: Starting at $140,000

About a decade ago, aviation enthusiast Sam Bousfield, an architect turned inventor based in Oregon, asked himself, “What does aviation really need?” His answer, ultimately, was the Switchblade—the three-wheeled, carbon-fiber flying car that his company, Samson Motors, is developing.

On the road, the Switchblade will achieve 35 miles per gallon of regular unleaded automobile gasoline and will burn only nine gallons per hour when flying. At 16 feet, 9 inches long, it is slightly longer than a Honda Accord. Plus, it’s only about 6 feet wide, so it will fit in your home’s garage. Samson is offering the base-model Switchblade (including the company’s builder-assist program) as an experimental aircraft, along with a bespoke Limited Edition model (starting at $500,000). Each LE will have a custom interior and include unique exterior features.

The Switchblade’s name comes from its wings, which swing out from the belly of the vehicle like the blade of a pocketknife. When the vehicle is in driving mode, they disappear into the body so they are protected from fender benders. The transition from automobile to aircraft is automated and will take about 45 seconds. The vehicle will be classified by the U.S. Department of Transportation as a motorcycle, but Bousfield likes to call it a flying sports car because of its street-mode capabilities: zero to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of more than 125 mph. In
the air, it will cruise at 160 mph and reach a top speed of 180 mph.

Samson Motors Switchblade, limitededition@samsonsky.com, 855.772.6766. 

Terms and conditions

The Switchblade is expected to make its first public flight next spring, and the company plans to begin deliveries by the end of 2018.

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Switchblade Flying Car developed by Samson Motors

Photo: Courtesy Samson Motors