Samson Sky announces pilot training program for the Switchblade

Samson Sky has announced a new pilot training program for its Switchblade vehicle, which can both drive and fly.

The company states that the number of non-pilots interested in purchasing the Switchblade has grown significantly. The program is intended to streamline the customer experience when buying the aircraft, but it is available for anyone who wants to get their pilot’s license.

Samson took multiple marketing surveys of regional travelers; people who take trips of 250-500 miles. The company estimates that there is a total of 22 million regional travelers in the U.S. alone.

“The survey results of regional travelers showed a remarkable level of interest in purchasing a flying car and eighty percent of those expressing interest were non-pilots,” said Samson CEO and founder Sam Bousfield. “Based on these survey numbers, if we produced thousands of vehicles a year, we might not even scratch the surface of the demand we are seeing for a vehicle such as the Switchblade.”

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The company plans to collaborate with established flight schools while building training infrastructure of its own. Company officials hope that the availability of the program will encourage more people to pursue their pilot’s license, as it has historically. After an airline pilot shortage was predicted during the pandemic, the number of U.S. student pilots reached approximately 320,000 by 2023. While this is an improvement from previous years, there is still concern over the number of workers in the industry.

“Flying is in my DNA. And as an instructor, there’s nothing like seeing a student pilot experience the freedom of flying,” said Samson Sky R&D chief, Michael Maxwell, a pilot for over 50 years, former champion glider plane racer and glider pilot instructor.

Jadda Tyree