Opener Donates BlackFly To EAA Museum

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Opener has donated a first-generation BlackFly personal ultralight aircraft to the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The Opener BlackFly, which the company debuted at AirVenture last year, is a fixed-wing, all-electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. It has a range of 35 miles (restricted to 25 miles in the U.S.) and can travel at speeds of up to 75 MPH (restricted to 62 MPH in the U.S.). According to Opener, BlackFly vehicles have currently flown over 2,300 flights, including 900 made on preproduction models since the aircraft appeared at Oshkosh in 2018.

“BlackFly is an exciting addition to the Museum’s collection of historic aircraft,” said EAA Vice President of Chapters, Communities and Museum Rick Larsen. “The Opener team tackled complicated problems, innovated modern battery and motor technologies, and showed the world that eVTOL is real. It is an honor to showcase this pioneering electric personal aerial vehicle.”

No license is needed to operate the BlackFly ultralight. However, Opener says it will require purchasers to pass the FAA private pilot written exam and complete company-mandated vehicle familiarization and operator training. Opener is displaying the production version of BlackFly at the AirVenture Innovation Showcase from July 22 to July 28, 2019. The exact price tag on the aircraft has not yet been made public.

Kate O'Connor
Kate O’Connor works as AVweb's Editor-in-Chief. She is a private pilot, certificated aircraft dispatcher, and graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

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