America’s first female flying car owner shares a TEDx lesson beyond aviation

Heather Chirtea, the nation’s first female flying car owner and pilot, has released a TEDx Talk that centers on her experience flying a BlackFly electric aircraft and the personal insight it led to. The talk arrives as flying cars draw fresh attention and as Chirtea helps build a small but growing community of pilots.

Why it matters: - Heather Chirtea’s TEDx Talk puts a real owner and pilot at the center of the flying car conversation as the technology gets renewed attention. - The talk adds a human example to a category that is usually discussed as futurism, concept design or industry marketing. - Chirtea says the biggest takeaway from flying a car is not about aviation, but about perspective and possibility.

What happened: - Heather Chirtea, described as America’s first female flying car owner and pilot, released a TEDx Talk titled “GET BACK IN THE PLANE.” - The talk shares her experience learning to fly a BlackFly, a single-seat electric flying car developed by Pivotal. - Chirtea said the journey led to an unexpected discovery that had “nothing to do with flying.” - The talk is available to watch on YouTube as Heather Chirtea’s TEDx Talk.

The details: - BlackFly takes off and lands vertically and runs on electric power. - Chirtea is one of the first private owners of the aircraft in the United States. - A key moment in her training came when someone told her, “Get back in the plane.” - That phrase became the starting point for the events that led her into flying car ownership and piloting. - On Oct. 17, Chirtea helped organize the Great American Electric Air Race in Springfield, Ohio. - Eight pilots competed in three BlackFly flying cars at the event. - The race included aerial competition, precision landings and demonstrations for spectators. - The event gave audiences an early look at flying cars operating in U.S. airspace.

Between the lines: - Flying cars are moving from novelty to niche reality, with a small number of Americans now flying them firsthand. - Chirtea’s positioning as both owner and organizer suggests the category is building a community, not just a product demo. - The timing also reflects broader interest in futuristic vehicles across the automotive and aviation industries. - Recent headlines around aircraft-like consumer vehicles, including Tesla’s thruster-equipped Roadster, have widened public attention to personal flight.

What’s next: - Chirtea is using national demonstrations, The Soar Tour and the Great American Electric Air Race to keep flying cars in public view. - She also promotes her work through So Fly LLC, the company she founded. - TEDx Butterfish Cove, where the talk appeared, took place Sept. 18, 2026, in Ocean City, Maryland. - Chirtea directs viewers to follow her activity on her website and social channels.

The bottom line: - Flying cars are no longer just a concept for the future; for a small number of pilots, they are already changing how they travel and how they think.