Paris Opens Flying Taxi Hub Targeting Flights for 2024 Olympics (bloomberg.com) 12
France opened a hub for testing electric air taxis as it seeks to introduce the world's first service with the new category of aircraft in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. From a report: Aeroports de Paris, which runs the French capital's major airports, will operate the facility alongside UK-based Skyports, a leading developer of so-called vertiports, as flying-taxi bases have been termed. The hub at Pontoise Cormeilles aerodrome, unveiled Thursday, combines a passenger terminal, take-off and landing area, mission control zone and hangar, all as close as possible to the configuration envisaged for 2024.
As part of the launch, Volocopter GmbH, a German developer of electric vertical take-off and landing craft or eVTOLs, as flying taxis are known, carried out a flight integrated into conventional air traffic. The project is also backed by RATP Group, which provides public transport in the Paris area, and the DGAC aviation regulator, as well as the transport ministry and Ile-de-France region.
As part of the launch, Volocopter GmbH, a German developer of electric vertical take-off and landing craft or eVTOLs, as flying taxis are known, carried out a flight integrated into conventional air traffic. The project is also backed by RATP Group, which provides public transport in the Paris area, and the DGAC aviation regulator, as well as the transport ministry and Ile-de-France region.
"vertiports" (Score:1)
Yes, because we didn't already have the word "helipad" and it doesn't mean pretty much exactly the same thing and also nobody knows what it is.
Re:"vertiports" (Score:4, Informative)
Yes, because we didn't already have the word "helipad" and it doesn't mean pretty much exactly the same thing and also nobody knows what it is.
Actually there are enough differences between landing zones designed for helicopters vs. "Advanced Air Mobility" aircrafts to warrant different designations and different regulations. See as example the FAA Design Standards [faa.gov].
Re: (Score:2)
That reminds me of Smurf Green and Green Smurf [wikipedia.org] for some reason.
Flying taxi! (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Or maybe they could just --- have a high-speed train between the two airports
Where's the expense and high-tech status in that? The presidents need to look down on the plebs in the trains.
Non-paywalled link (Score:2)
https://www.luxtimes.lu/en/eur... [luxtimes.lu]
It has to be said (Score:2)
Let the bodies hit the floor!
Totally certain (Score:2)
Totally certain air-taxis are going to be a carbon responsible choice for transpiration...
Another stunning example of how the most privileged will lecture the serfs about how its more important they accept a decline in their standard of living to pay for enough motor fuel to get the grocery store and back, in the name carbon reduction, while they themselves squander the world precious resources on opulence and excess.
Re: (Score:2)
Unless they use Trebuchets [wikipedia.org] as air taxis? It's very French, and it can definitely send a person very fast from one olympic site to the other, and in a very environment-friendly manner - the only problem being the landing, of course, but let's solve one issue at a time please...
One more prediction came true (Score:2)
The "France in year 2000" futuristic postcard series from 1900 featured "aero-cabs" in Paris https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org] and several variations on air taxis, jet packs, air races, air traffic jam.
Plain taxi after flying taxi (Score:2)