The flying taxis were intended to showcase French know-how and technology during the next Olympic Games (OG) in Paris. Alas, these futuristic machines, halfway between the drone and the helicopter, should not really crisscross the skies of Ile-de-France during the next international sports competition. The manufacturer, the German Volocopter, and all the partners in the operation, such as Groupe ADP, the RATP, the general directorate of civil aviation or the Ile-de-France region, are not expected to obtain the light in time green to market a transport offer during the Games. ” It is complicated “we euphemize at Groupe ADP, the main promoter of flying taxis, which does not wish to ” no comment “. In practice, Volocopter is not expected to obtain the certification required to market its taxis on time.
Not wanting to take any risks, the European Aviation Safety Agency imposed vertical take-off aircraft on future VTOLs (for “Vertical Take-Off and Landing”), “certification standards as strict as for an airliner”, specifies a person close to the file. A hardening, according to The echoes on Tuesday February 27, undoubtedly linked to the crash of a flying taxi prototype from the American Joby in 2022, in California. To hope to win the precious sesame, Volocopter had to review and strengthen the manufacturing standards of some of the parts. Ultimately, after these takeoff delays, there should be, at best, only two flying taxis during the Olympics instead of the five originally planned.
In the absence of certification, Volocopter and its partners should not market the planned offer, that is to say the transport of a passenger in addition to the pilot for a race at an average price of 110 euros. Instead, the manufacturer will be able to carry out some flights with VIPs and guests. A setback which could cost Volocopter dearly, whose shortfall could amount to nearly 300,000 euros. In addition, it will also have to give up on the 2,000 to 2,500 flights originally planned between June and December.
Too noisy
The formalization of the postponement of the marketing of flying taxis should not surprise Augustin de Romanet, CEO of Groupe ADP. On February 20, on the air of BFM-TV, the boss of the airport manager no longer spoke of marketing but flattered himself that he had “the opportunity to be the first experiment in the world of a flight with passenger on this type of machine”.
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