WHAT?? Flying Cars By: Tenley Ong Me: “Nick, I like that poster. That flying car looks so cool!” Nick: “Actually, I bought one of those. That’s the Samson Sky Switchblade.” I sat there in disbelief, eating my pizza. It was lunchtime at the hangar, and everyone was sitting around, engaged in conversation. I was a brand-new student pilot, and Nick Leonard was one of my mentors who happened to be an early investor in the Switchblade Flying Sports Car. Having visited the airport only a few times, I wasn’t familiar with the direction screws turned, and I was even hesitant to touch any of the airplanes for fear of damaging them. That was three years ago. Since then, I’ve earned my private and commercial pilot certificates, an instrument rating, and most recently, a multi-engine rating. I’m in the process of restoring a Van’s RV-6 with the
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assistance of my mentors and friends, all while working in dispatch at a small charter company in Sacramento, CA. I’m also now a Samson Sky Ambassador. When I was five years old, I dreamed of a flying car. I pondered ways to achieve flight, including making cardboard wings to mimic a bird’s flight. I loved being up high, climbing trees, and building swings. The sensation of being in the air was incredibly exhilarating. However, it remained just a dream as flying cars didn’t exist in the early 2000s. Times have changed significantly, and many flying cars are now in development. The Samson Switchblade is one such example. In March 2020, during a road trip from Sacramento to Portland, OR, I had the opportunity to see the Switchblade up close. Nick connected me with Sam and Martha Bousfield, and I set out for S39, Prineville Airport. Martha greeted me warmly outside the hangar and shared some of the project’s details. They were