Pivotal, the ultralight eVTOL developer formerly known as Opener, has officially begun selling its flagship Helix aircraft, a single-seat, all-electric vehicle that requires no pilot’s license to operate. Recreational flyers in the U.S. can now purchase the Helix online at a starting price of $190,000, and Pivotal plans to begin shipments on June 10.
“The market is ready for the wonder of aerial recreation and short-hop eVTOL travel,” said Pivotal CEO Ken Karklin. “We are ready to provide the beauty and freedom of personal flight to a whole lot of people with a passion for flying and an interest in creating a new generation of aviators and aviation.”
The Helix is the production version of Pivotal Blackfly personal eVTOL aircraft, which debuted with a public flight demonstration at the 2021 EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. For the past few years, Pivotal has been flying the Blackfly at airshows and other events around the U.S., including the 2023 Airtaxi World Congress in San Francisco.
Although the California-based company never launched orders for the Blackfly, it is in the process of delivering about a dozen units to customers who participated in its early access program (EAP). Those customers were specially selected to provide feedback that would contribute to the design of the Helix.
“We are still deeply engaged with the early access customers,” a company spokesperson told AIN. “Their insights are invaluable to our go-to-market strategy.” Several EAP participants have already received their Blackfly deliveries, and the remaining orders will be fulfilled after those customers complete Pivotal's flight training program, the spokesperson said.
No Pilot's License Needed, But Training Is Mandatory
Because the Helix is built to comply with the FAA’s Part 103 rules for ultralight aircraft, operators do not need a pilot’s license to legally fly it. However, Pivotal is still requiring customers to attend an FAA-approved ground school and complete a training course at the company’s Palo Alto headquarters.
“It's imperative that they [the users] understand what all of the requirements are to fly in the National Airspace, especially under visual flight rules,” Greg Lary, Pivotal’s head of sales and customer experience, told AIN at the Airtaxi World Congress. For example, Part 103 aircraft are only allowed to fly during the daytime over non-congested areas far away from airports.
The Helix features a unique tilt-aircraft architecture with eight fixed rotors built into two cantilevered tandem wings, which are mounted on the front and rear of a small carbon-fiber fuselage. The fly-by-wire flight controls are powered by left- and right-handed joysticks, with one primary joystick and the second serving as a redundant backup option.
There’s not much room for luggage or personal items inside the vehicle, but it should be able to comfortably accommodate pilots as tall as 6 feet, 5 inches (196 centimeters), according to Pivotal. The aircraft’s empty weight is 348 pounds (158 kilograms), and the maximum weight for occupants is 220 pounds (100 kilograms). The battery-electric vehicle has a cruise speed of 55 knots and a range of about 20 miles (32 kilometers) with 20 percent battery reserves, and it can fully recharge in 75 minutes with a Level 2 EV charger.
Pivotal says it is manufacturing the Helix at its Palo Alto facilities, but the company is not disclosing production rates at this time. The spokesperson told AIN that Pivotal has closed multiple deals since launching online orders last week, but it isn't disclosing sales numbers.
Helix Options and Pricing
Pivotal is offering the Helix in three configurations, and the pricier versions come with more features and customization options. For the base price of $190,000, customers will receive a Helix with a white exterior finish, digital flight panel, canopy, high-definition landing camera, charger, and vehicle cart. At $240,000, the next package comes with all the same features, but it has a higher-quality 4K landing assist camera with recording and sharing features, as well as an ADS-B air traffic system, a second charger, a trailer, and an enhanced warranty.
The most expensive package at $260,000 comes with a premium flight deck and a fully customizable exterior, plus beacon lighting, an emergency location transmitter, and a total of three chargers. This package also covers the cost of flight training for a friend or family member. For all three packages, the cost of mandatory flight training for the primary user is already included.
