So You Think The Elio Has Prototyping Issues...

[Sethodine]

That base pricing is actually a bargain when you look at the cost of buying even a small airplane. The Cirrus 20 is around $360,000. I view the Switchblade as closer to the ICON A5, which is base price at $200,000. And of course, personal jets are a tad more.

Well, you can build a scale biplane with a VW engine for under $10,000. Or even better, a V-twin

 

[Husker1]

That base pricing is actually a bargain when you look at the cost of buying even a small airplane. The Cirrus 20 is around $360,000. I view the Switchblade as closer to the ICON A5, which is base price at $200,000. And of course, personal jets are a tad more.

I've written the company -- as soon as they have the aircraft running and certified, they're going to release a non-flying version, strictly autocycle ground-based.

The cirrus is a 5 seater with a 200HP continental. Not much of a comparison. Now the A5 is a little closer with 2 seats and 100 HP rotax. But both of these are a type certificated factory built aircraft not a partially assembled kit plane. If I plan on flying something everyday I'd much rather spend the money on an aircraft that is proven. Not that I doubt my skill of assembly but let's compare apples to apples.

 

[Muzhik]

The Switchblade is designed to be factory assembled with a price point of less than $100,000. The company usually talks about selling "kits" when they need to think about raising extra cash, or when they think the pressure to get the blessed thing out and into the air is getting a bit much. When I was paying more attention to it not many people were seriously talking about actually building the kit, but then aircraft kit builders seem to be more common and more "hard-core" than the typical automobile motor head. I think there a lots of people on this board who might rebuild an engine, replace shock absorbers, or rebuild brakes (or even rebuild a carburetor if they're into classic cars) who would not even consider building a car, starting from the frame and ending with wiring in the stereo/navigation system. Just look at all the problems Johnny Cash had when he tried to build his own Cadillac.

Johnny Cash One Piece At A Time