‘Light Sport’ Fly-By-Wire Helicopter Unveiled

A California partnership says its fly-by-wire two-seat helicopter can be flown away by anyone with $188,000, a driver’s license, medical and 30 hours of training as soon as the new MOSAIC regs come into effect. 

Advance Tactics and RotorX say the ATRX-700 will be easy to fly thanks to the computer on the other end of the controls, and it will carry 650 pounds 300 miles at 100 MPH. 

The new Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) has added eVTOLs and helicopters under a new regime that expands the current Light Sport Aircraft designation.

The ATRX-700 is based on a RotorX A600 kit helicopter but with modernized controls based on the control systems Advance Tactics has developed for pilot-optional military airlift multicopter vehicles. Under the MOSAIC umbrella, the 1,700-pound helicopter will be factory built and the 30 hours of training will be offered at the factory in Torrance, California. 

MOSAIC was announced on July 19 and is in the comment stage.