LONG BEACH, Calif. — Airhart Aeronautics, the U.S. startup developing an airplane “anyone can fly,” will open its Design and Engineering Center in Long Beach, Calif., next week in the latest milestone in the project.

The guest of honor at Wednesday’s event will be legendary aviator Linda Sollars, the company said.

Airhart, founded in 2022 by former SpaceX engineer Nikita Ermoshkin, is seeking to “democratize” flying by building a safe and easy-to-fly personal aircraft with a price tag of under US$100,000.

No intense pilot training would be needed to fly the Airhart aircraft.

That is because at its core is an integrated avionics platform, which consolidates displays, automation and flight controls into one single simplified system. In January, Airhart began installing the software that makes the system possible.

The company has been flying a prototype, based on Sling Aircraft’s TSi platform, since late 2022.

Its goal is to deliver its first aircraft equipped with Airhart avionics later this year, with commercial production starting in 2028.

Second and third models are expected to be released in 2031 and 2035 respectively.

The aircraft will conform with the new MOSAIC standards, issued last year by the Federal Aviation Administration and slated to go into effect in July.

The FAA believes MOSAIC, or Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification, will help increase the availability of affordable aircraft for recreational aviation.

On Wednesday, Sollars will share her thought on how MOSAIC will modernize the light aircraft industry.

Guests will also be able to meet the team behind the aircraft and try out the Airhart flight simulator.

Photos are courtesy of Linda Sollars and Airhart Aeronautics.