Electric Aircraft Are No Longer a Jetsonian Dream

Meet two of the world's first private owners of the BlackFly prototype.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Pivotal's BlackFly is the first electric aircraft to land in civilian hands. [Courtesy: Pivotal]

Key Takeaways:

Dave Cook and Dean Owen are among the first private U.S. owners of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) ultralight aircraft, like Pivotal's BlackFly, which requires simplified training.
Flying the BlackFly offers a unique, challenging, yet accessible experience, with its successor, the Helix, now available for private purchase at $190,000.
The broader Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) market is emerging, with experts predicting that electric aircraft will first be adopted for business aviation, cargo, and specialized missions before widespread air taxis.

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Dave Cook owns a Lancair and made a career out of flying. Dean Owen had never flown before. But both are making aviation history as the first private electric aircraft owners in the U.S.

“The only thing I ever did with an aircraft was jump out of a few for the military,” Owen said. “I’ve got a buddy that used to fly me around for business trips, and on a rare occasion, he would let me take the stick of his Cessna while we’re in the air. But that was it.”