Samson Sky, developer of the two-seat Switchblade flying car for regional travelers, has announced an $80 million investment from Dubai-based Matin Group, according to aviation publication 50SkyShades. The financing supports the privately held company's move toward producing a vehicle designed to combine road travel and flight in one trip.
The proposed journey starts in the owner's garage. Samson says drivers would reach a local airport, extend the vehicle's wings and tail, and take off; after landing, they could continue by road. The company says the configuration change takes about three minutes. Its design keeps the flying surfaces protected during driving, making the road portion integral to the product.
The investment agreement provides for a joint venture between Samson and Matin to advance commercial production, 50SkyShades reported on September 14. Samson plans a 180,000-square-foot U.S. production facility, while another $20 million remains to be raised to complete production funding. The announcement establishes an investment agreement rather than a completed factory.
Samson's commercial model centers on selling aircraft kits with assistance included. Its website lists estimated prices of $200,000 for a version intended for visual flying conditions and $235,000 for an instrument-equipped version. Buyers need a private pilot certificate to fly, according to the company. That makes pilot training part of the adoption challenge for travelers drawn to the convenience of keeping their ground transport with them.
The buyer also participates in manufacturing. Samson's Builder Assist program is designed to let owners complete their required construction work in about a week using automated processes and simplified tasks. The company presents this as its approach to the amateur-built aircraft requirement that owners perform the majority of the build. The proposed factory therefore needs to support both production staff and customers learning to make their own vehicle.
Development work is still tangible: in its August update, Samson said it was building its first three production test vehicles and had recently made door skins that would undergo testing before production. It offers free reservations or a $500 non-refundable deposit for a fixed delivery position. The next business test is whether Samson can turn that interest into deliveries while making its customer-assisted manufacturing process repeatable.