US East Coast helicopter tour operator Charm Aviation has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with Austin, Texas-based eVTOL developer LIFT Aircraft for a pre-order for 100 HEXA eVTOL aircraft that they intend to deploy for sightseeing operations to multiple LIFT vertiport locations that they will jointly develop in the greater NYC area over the next five years.

“Our top-selling helicopter tour flights last between 12 to15 minutes, so HEXA's flight time is a perfect fit for self-piloted, recreational flights,” says Charm president Caitlyn Ephraim. “These are like Segway tours, but in the air, with a much better view and much more fun. These small, electric aircraft are geo-fenced to keep them confined to pre-defined flight areas and corridors, have zero direct emissions and are much quieter than helicopters, so will help to reduce the noise footprint of the fleets of helicopters we operate today. I can't wait to fly HEXA around the Statue of Liberty. We think this is the future of the helicopter tour market.”

Charm plans to work with both LIFT and city officials, as well as the FAA, as they select the first NY vertiport site in the coming months and they hope to have initial trial flights in the city starting by the end of 2023. The company currently operates a fleet of helicopter along the East Coast, with operations in New York, New Jersey and Baltimore. It has a combined 40 years of experience operating helicopter fleets and has experience operating heliports in Manhattan.

“New York is one of the largest markets for helicopter tour and air taxi operations in the world, and we expect the region will be one of the biggest markets for next generation, urban air mobility as well. We're thrilled to be partnering with the owners of one of the largest helicopter operators in New York to bring LIFT to the region,” says LIFT CEO Matt Chasen.

Under the terms of the agreement, LIFT and Charm will establish a joint venture that will have exclusive licence from LIFT to operate in the greater NYC area.

LIFT claims that anyone will be able to learn to fly its semi-autonomous eVTOL HEXA aircraft in less than an hour and then solo pilot the single seat, ultralight vehicle with no pilot's licence required. Under FAA rules, flights are limited to uncongested flyover areas and uncontrolled airspace, so plans are in the works to develop LIFT vertiports along New York City's many waterfront areas. This will provide access to the Class G, Visual Flight Rules (VFR) corridor that extends up to 1,300 ft around Manhattan. LIFE says HEXA is already approved to fly under the FAA's Part 103 rules, and no pilot's licence is required to fly for personal, non-commercial use.

LIFE also claims that public agencies such as police and fire departments could utilise HEXA to reduce first response time by as much as 50 per cent. HEXA has already received its initial airworthiness certification by the USAF and is expected to be used by the military as a new manned and unmanned aerial platform.

LIFT has already received FAA approval for a location planned in the Austin, Texas area.