This helicopter requires just 30 hours of training and your driver’s license to fly
Published on Aug 29, 2023 at 5:32 PM (UTC+4)
by Andie Reeves
Last updated on Aug 29, 2023 at 5:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Your dreams of flying a helicopter just got a whole lot more realistic.
The ATRX-700 helicopter is specially designed for people with zero flying experience.
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The two-seater ATRX-700 helicopter is the brainchild of Advanced Tactics and Rotor X.
The ATRX-700 chopper will use incredibly basic controls, replacing manual flight controls with simplified electronic ones for beginners.
Designed with rookies in mind, the companies want to make experimental aircraft accessible to anyone with a regular driver’s license.
Currently, helicopters are categorized alongside airliners and private planes, meaning pilots need to have extensive training and complete a lot of solo flight hours before being allowed to fly.
But that might be changing.
A recent announcement by the Federal Aviation Administration could see helicopters categorized as Light Sport Aircraft, along with powered parachutes and some two-seater planes.
If this rule is changed it will become easier than ever for the average Joe to buy and fly their own helicopter.
Flying the ATRX-700 is simple, provided you have a driver’s license already.
At the Advanced Tactics facilities in California potential pilots only need to rack up 30 hours of training.
The company charges $300 per hour, which is considerably cheaper than traditional helicopter schools.
Can’t get to California?
Not to worry because any certified flight Instructor familiar with the chopper can train you up.
Because no FAA medical certificate is required, once you’ve completed your 30 hours you are free to take to the skies.
The ATRX-700 has a 180-bhp turbocharged engine and has a cruising speed of 100 mph.
It comes fully assembled from the factory and will set you back a cool USD $188,000.
Provided the FAA regulations all go according to plan, aspiring helicopter pilots will be able to get their hands on the ATRX-700 by February 2025.
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Andie is a content writer from South Africa with a background in broadcasting and journalism. Starting her career in the glossy pages of Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire, Andie has a broad portfolio, covering everything from sustainability solutions to celebrity car collections. When not at her laptop Andie can be found sewing, recording her podcast, taking board games too seriously or road-tripping in her bright green Kia.
