The launch of a $170,000 ($145,000) flying automobile has been authorised.
The FAA, the aviation regulatory body of the United States government, has given the Samson Switchblade the go-ahead to begin flight testing.
The Switchblade is now undergoing final high-speed taxi testing before flight testing after spending 14 years in development.
The Switchblade is available as a DIY kit that you may assemble at home.
2,100 people have reportedly already reserved a DIY pack, according to Redmond, Oregon-based Samson Sky.
The interiors, avionics, engine, transmission, and Samson Builder Assist Program are all included with each Switchblade Kit.
You keep the Switchblade, a three-wheeled street-legal car, parked in your garage.
You take it to a nearby airport from your garage. In less than three minutes after arriving, the wings spread out and the tail lengthen.
You then fly your registered aircraft up to 306 km/h (190 mph) and 21,000 kilometres to the airfield closest to your destination (13,000 miles).
Then you just land, convert your flying sports car back to driving mode, store and safeguard the wings and tail, and go to your destination.
The vehicle’s wings were taken off for the high-speed taxi tests so there would be no possibility of the vehicle taking off.
“Our take-off speed is predicted to be 88 mph, meaning that’s the speed we need to hit, at which point the Switchblade would begin to lift off the ground,” said Samson Sky CEO Sam Bousfield.
“Out of the fastest of 10 speed runs, our test driver took the Switchblade to 98 mph, which confirmed what the team saw on the instruments, videos and engine computer data — the Switchblade handled and performed very well.”
Samson Sky say the reservation list for the Switchblade has reached 2100, with reservation holders in 52 countries, and in all 50 states in the U.S..
The company say: “Early adopters include NASA engineers, airline pilots, entrepreneurs, etc.
“Artists dream the future, and that future is filled with flying cars,” says Bousfield.
“If you share that dream, the Switchblade was designed for you.”
