The dismal failure of Parisian flying taxis
This page is translated from the original post "Le désolant naufrage des taxis volants parisiens" in French.
- 18/11/2024 17:58
If like us, you were hoping to soon witness the ballet of VoloCity flying taxis above Paris, you can look down.
Volocopter and its partner Aéroports de Paris were set to make headlines by showcasing their flying taxis, or rather eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft), during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. They had received the green light from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Île-de-France region, but a obscure issue with a supplier unfortunately led to the need for new certification, grounding the small aircraft. This decision ultimately relieved everyone as opposition was numerous.
Vaguely, reasons for rejection included noise generated by the 16 rotors and visual pollution, although, in our opinion, these buzzing little machines are extremely charming. There’s also the argument that these aircraft would be reserved for a wealthy elite like helicopters. All innovative vehicles are expensive to build and operate, but broad technological adoption can make them accessible to everyone. Their technology is also quite simple and relatively inexpensive, except of course for the carbon fiber chassis. Furthermore, they are intended as collective transportation, not private.
Our shortcomings
We then knew that no opportunity to benefit from such a media showcase would come again, and that the project was doomed to failure. These are machines that have undergone years of development and testing to prove their reliability, but if no one wants them, they may be exceptional but will remain in the shadows. In this regard, the City Hall of Paris’s lukewarm stance certainly didn’t help, quite the opposite.
Our colleagues Les Echos confirmed today that the trial of commercial flights has been abandoned. An outright decision by the Regional Council, immediately withdrawing the subsidies planned for the creation of vertiports. Here are our beautiful flying taxis grounded while in China and the Middle East, test flights continue at a frantic pace. Interestingly, they have become very popular tourist attractions, and no accidents have been reported to date. France has just lost an opportunity to compete with two of the most advanced nations in new mobility. Disappointing.
READ ALSO: Europe says YES to eVTOL air taxis and transport drones
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