Taking off in a car at the push of a button: That is the vision of a US company. With the “Samson Switchblade” this should be possible in the future.
Kassel/Redmond – Every day, many drivers are annoyed by traffic jams on the way to work – how practical would it be to escape this at the touch of a button? What sounds suspicious has actually become reality: The start-up company Samson from the USA worked on a flying car for 14 years. The “Samson Switchblade” has now received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as reported by the tech portal New Atlas .
A push of a button should be enough to take off with the three-wheeled car, which can accommodate two people. Two wings then extend out on the sides of the trike and the rear folds into a T-shape. A propeller in the rear area is supposed to provide the drive. Could this vehicle now revolutionize the car industry or is it just a technical gimmick?
US startup develops flying car – this is how it should work
The “Samson Switchblade” will probably not stir up traffic in the near future. After the flight approval, the first flight tests are started. According to the company, the trike has only been on the ground so far, where it can reportedly reach speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour. It is refueled exclusively with Super Plus petrol.
With a full tank, in which 125 liters should fit, the vehicle can travel up to 725 kilometers in the air. The maximum flight speed is around 260 kilometers per hour. However, once the take-off button is pressed, the trike does not rise from the ground like a helicopter. Like airplanes, it requires a runway several hundred meters long. So flying out of the traffic jam in a matter of seconds is not possible with this vehicle. VW also wants to get into the flying car business: the group is planning a passenger drone.
More than 1500 pre-orders: Flying car undergoes first flight tests
How things will continue after successful flight tests for the “Samson Switchblade” is still unclear. However, there already seems to be some interested parties: As the Samson company reports, more than 1,500 pre-orders have already been received, which could bring the developers several million dollars. If the flying trike is then ready for sale and on the market, a vehicle should cost around 150,000 US dollars.
However, it should only be available as a kit, which means that the “Switchblade” would have to be assembled by yourself. This could take around 2000 hours before the vehicle is finally ready for use. However, Samson is planning a fee-based assembly service that should complete the aircraft for owners within a week. So if you want to race not only over the ground but also through the air in a flying car, you need not only a lot of money but also technical know-how and a lot of patience. (asc)
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