Palo Alto, Calif.-based Pivotal, which is backed by Larry Page, began online sales Monday night at CES 2024 for the Helix, a lightweight electric personal plane that doesn’t require a pilot’s license to fly.
The IUD represents an evolution of pivotal, a company formerly known as Opener that has been working on lightweight electric rotorcraft and take-off aircraft for more than a decade. The company first captured interest with the BlackFly, a single-seat personal aircraft with a tilt-a-tilt architecture that was delivered to its first customer in June 2023. The Helix, unveiled in October, reflects the maturity of the company’s technology and is the first aircraft designed to be produced in larger quantities .
Deliveries of the Helix, which will be sold only in the US, begin on June 10, 2024. Prospective US buyers only need time to train and at least $190,000 (before taxes). “The market is ready to embrace the wonders of aerial recreation and short-hop electric travel,” says Pivotal CEO Ken Carklin.
Based on the initial reaction, it appears that the market is ready. Pivotal COO Kristina Menton told TechCrunch at the event that potential customers were already making reservations (which requires a $250 refund) within the first hour of online sales.
A single-seat aircraft does not require an FAA pilot certificate. The Helix, due to its lightweight case weighing approximately 348 pounds, complies with FAA Part 103 (Ultralight) category in the United States. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some regulations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that light aircraft be able to fly only over uncrowded areas and away from airports. Pivotal requires all buyers to undergo training. There are some other requirements for buyers; They must be at least 18 years old, weigh less than 220 pounds, and have a maximum standing height of 6 feet, 5 inches.
There are some limitations. Owners won’t be able to fly long distances with the Helix, an aircraft with a range of more than 20 miles that takes about 75 minutes to charge from 20% to 100% of battery using a 240-volt charger.
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Helix is available in three forms, all of which include the required training. The $190,000 base package includes a Helix aircraft with a carbon fiber and white exterior finish, a digital flight board, a parachute, an HD landing camera, a charger, a vehicle dolly, custom tags, and a warranty.
The second package starts at $240,000, features a white and gloss-stripe carbon fiber exterior, and includes the above features, plus a trailer with a dual-wing dolly, a 4K camera with landing assist, recording and sharing features, and an over-the-air ADS-B system. Traffic system, shippers and enhanced warranty. By the way, this trailer is how the owners can transport the Helix there. Pivotal says the Helix can be assembled in 30 minutes. When disassembled, it can fit into a 16-foot trailer.
The third package is priced at $260,000, offers a gloss white and carbon fiber exterior with custom color, and includes the above features, plus a premium flight deck, three chargers, aircraft beacon lighting, an integrated emergency locator transmitter, and a training hatch One extra for a friend or family member, and the option to customize the entire exterior at an additional cost, depending on the design.
The Helix aircraft will be manufactured in Palo Alto. Client IUDs can be ordered online With a non-refundable application fee of $250. However, to secure a production location and expected shipping date, a $50,000 deposit must be made within five business days of placing the initial order, according to the company.