33 km/h plane can fold into a tricycle

The Switchblade vehicle can reach speeds of 200 km/h as a three-wheeled vehicle on the road and 322 km/h in the air.

33 km/h plane can fold into a tricycle

The Switchblade's first flight. Video : Samson Sky

Samson Sky's Switchblade officially took to the skies a year after receiving certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and 14 years after its debut, the Sun reported on November 11. The three-wheeled vehicle can run on the streets and transform into a 200-mph plane at the push of a button. At Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington, the Switchblade took off on its maiden flight, reaching an altitude of 500 feet and flying in circles before landing six minutes later.

“After 14 years of design and intensive testing, our first flight is a huge milestone,” said Sam Bousfield, CEO of Samson Sky and designer of the Switchblade. “This puts us on track to produce thousands of Switchblades to meet demand.”

Samson Sky has reportedly received 2,300 orders for the Switchblade from 57 different countries, with an estimated starting price of $170,000. The three-wheeled design is comparable to a motorcycle in many ways. The vehicle will be sold as an experimental aircraft or a home-built one. The two-seater can reach speeds of over 200 km/h in street mode with its wings and tail folded. In flight mode, it will accelerate to 322 km/h and reach an altitude of 400 m, with its hybrid electric system powered by an air pump providing a range of 805 km on a full 125 l fuel tank.

The transition from car to plane isn’t particularly quick, taking about three minutes for the tail to unfold and spread out, the wings to extend from under the chassis, and be locked in place. But the whole process is automatic. The Switchblade isn’t a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, requiring a 335-meter runway to take off. However, it can still be parked in a regular garage.

Samson Sky said the flight test data will be used to finalize manufacturing techniques and build several prototypes.

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