Samson Sky has received more than 600 reservations for its Switchblade flying sports car, according to the company.

“We have customers from around the world, and many of them tell us the same thing – this is the first flying car they could see using every day,” Samson Sky CEO Sam Bousfield said. “They want to go fast, save time, avoid being stuck in traffic and have their wings and tail safely protected while in driving mode. The Switchblade satisfies all those desires.”

What defines a “practical” flying car? Most pilots would cite having the flying surfaces protected while driving, as any accidental bump could render the vehicle not flightworthy. Worse, it might be damaged while parked, without the driver even knowing it. While no vehicle is completely accident-proof, the Switchblade protects the wings behind clamshell doors that close around the stowed wings to protect them from being damaged or tampered with while on the ground, according to Redmond, Ore.-based Samson Sky.

The company also points to the Switchblade’s handling and price tag as reasons why customers might consider it practical. At an anticipated price of $140,000, the price tag for the standard model is one-half to one-fifth the cost of other flying cars, as well as other small aircraft with similar capabilities, according to the company. 

“When the Switchblade finishes its first flight and the nuances of construction are resolved, there will be something really new and really different in general aviation,” said Jerry Clark, retired U.S. Air Force pilot and aerospace engineer. “The era of the ‘Jetsons’ will have finally arrived and the world of aviation will undergo the same transition that the Internet generated in the 1990s. The technology of our time will finally be in the air at a price that is reachable.”