Pivotal, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company backed by Larry Page, began online sales Monday night at CES 2024 for the Helix, a light electric personal aircraft that doesn’t require a pilot’s license to fly.
Helix marks an evolution for Central, a company formerly known as Opener that has been working on light vertical and takeoff electric aircraft for more than a decade. The company first gained attention for the BlackFly, a single-seat personal aircraft with aircraft tilt architecture that was delivered to the first customer in June 2023. The Helix, unveiled in October, reflects the maturity of the company’s technology and is the first designed to be produced in larger quantities.
Deliveries for the Helix, which will be sold only in the United States, begin on June 10, 2024. Prospective buyers in the U.S. only need training time and a minimum of $190,000 (before taxes). And Pivotal CEO Ken Karklin says “the market is ready for the wonder of aerial recreation and eVTOL short-hop travel.”
And based on the initial reaction, it looks like the market is ready. Pivotal COO Kristina Menton told TechCrunch at the event that potential customers were already making reservations (requiring a $250 refund) within the first hour of online sales.
The single-seat aircraft does not require a FAA pilot certification. The Helix, due to its lightweight condition weighing approximately 348 pounds, complies with the FAA Part 103 (Ultralight) category in the United States. This does not mean, however, that there are no regulations. The FAA requires that ultralight aircraft can only fly over uncongested areas and away from airports. Pivotal requires all buyers to go through training. There are a few other requirements for buyers. must be at least 18 years old, weigh less than 220 pounds and have a maximum standing height of 6 feet 5 inches.
And 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 and a charge time of about 75 minutes from 20% to 100% battery using a 240V charger.
Image credits: Central
Helix is available in three configurations, all of which include the required training. The $190,000 base package includes the Helix aircraft with white and carbon fiber exterior finish and digital flight panel, canopy, HD landing camera, charger, vehicle cart, custom signage and warranty.
The second package starts at $240,000 and offers a gloss, white and striped carbon fiber exterior finish and includes the above features, plus a trailer with a twin wing cart, 4k camera with landing assist, recording and sharing functions, air ADS-B system registration, two chargers and extended warranty. This trailer, by the way, is how owners can get the Helix there. Pivotal says the Helix can be assembled in 30 minutes. When disassembled, it can fit on a 16-foot trailer.
The third package costs $260,000 and offers a gloss white and custom-colored carbon fiber exterior and includes the above features, plus a premium flight deck, three chargers, aircraft beacon lighting, a built-in emergency locator transmitter, an additional training slot for a friend or family member and the option of full exterior customization at additional cost, depending on design.
The Helix aircraft will be built in Palo Alto. Customers you can order Helix online with a non-refundable application fee of $250. However, to guarantee the production time slot and estimated shipping date, a $50,000 deposit is required within five business days of the initial order placement, according to the company.
