Futuristic Aircraft to Fly New York's Elite to the Hamptons

Blade Air Mobility tested its new, nearly silent electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at Westchester County Airport Tuesday.

It was the first time for a piloted electric vertical aircraft to be flown in the New York tri-state area.

Blade, whose state-of-the-art helicopters cater to the Hamptons jet set, is attracting the interest of investment managers, including RedBird, which had a 5% stake, and Cathie Wood’s Ark Investment, which owns more than 10% of Blade, the New York Post reports.

Blade’s sci-fi-looking eVTOLs are hybrid private planes and helicopters, with rotator blades on their wings. They are emission free and virtually silent.

Prominent New Yorkers have complained about helicopter noise, prompting Rep. Jerold Nadler, D-New York, to ask the Federal Aviation Administration to divert helicopter traffic from Central Park.

Blade hopes its new eVTOLs will be “a key first step in our transition from helicopters to new quiet and emission-free aircraft,” says Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal.

BETA Technologies manufactures the futuristic aircraft for Blade, one of the world’s largest transporters of human organs.