Is the Samson Switchblade flying car about to take off?

This page is translated from the original post "Décollage imminent pour la voiture volante Samson Switchblade ?" in French.

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Switchblade

Approved two years ago by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Switchblade is currently in the production phase.

Samson has been dreaming for several years with the concept of a flying car, the Switchblade. After its certification, the car also successfully completed a test nearly a year ago. What is its current status?

As if it had been invented by Fantasio

Three wheels, a rocket-like appearance, no trunk. Apparently, the Switchblade has little in common with a traditional car. Its maximum ground speed reached 201 km/h during last year’s test, nothing unusual again. But this vehicle hides a big secret; it can fly.

The operation to transform the car into an airplane takes only three minutes. Just enough time for the wings hidden under the bodywork to unfold and for the tail to emerge from the storage compartment. A technological feat, visible in the video published on YouTube by the company a year ago.

However, the vehicle will still need an empty runway to gain speed and take off, so forget the dream of leaving a traffic jam by taking off in your flying car. Once it leaves the ground, the Switchblade can reach a speed of 322 km/h and fly at an altitude of 4,000 meters. Its 125-liter tank provides an autonomy of 805 km. Enough to land in Marseille on reserve fuel after departing from Paris.

And now?

We already mentioned this vehicle in an article a year ago. And it must be said that since then, Samson doesn’t seem to have made much progress. According to the website, the flying-car is in the production phase. But that does not mean vehicles are currently being mass-produced; it simply means that the next step for Samson is to bring the Switchblade to market. Several questions remain unanswered, but we really hope to see the flying car commercialized before 2026. At this rate, we wonder if it won’t be more likely to happen in 2027 or even 2028.

Read also: Vaeridion will make its electric airplane fly before 2030

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