In the remote mountains of Washington’s North Cascades, Tim Lum commutes in a way few can imagine—by flying car. From his off-grid home in Twisp, the retired Air Force pararescueman pilots his all-electric BlackFly, an ultralight aircraft that lifts off from his property and cruises at 62 miles per hour. With a battery range of just 20 miles and a recharge cost of about 30 cents, it’s not replacing road travel anytime soon.
source.image: Kirsten Dirksen
But for Lum, it’s a thrilling way to bypass rugged terrain—and a surprisingly practical way to visit neighbors, where he can plug in before flying home. A veteran who spent decades jumping out of military aircraft on rescue missions from the Horn of Africa to Afghanistan, Lum was searching for an alternative to paragliding when he came across the BlackFly.
Lighter and far cheaper to operate than a helicopter, it requires no general aviation license and falls under the same regulations as a hang glider. While some locals have mistaken it for a UFO, others have complained about its high-pitched whir.
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Despite its limitations, Lum has become one of the most experienced BlackFly pilots, logging around 400 takeoffs and landings. He believes personal flight is the future, even if today’s models are still in their infancy. For now, it’s already changing how he moves through the world—whether landing in suburban cul-de-sacs or lifting off from his remote homestead.
