5 Lessons eVTOL Can Learn from Legacy Helicopter Airlines

Friday, January 07, 2022 at 11:11 AM ET

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New York Airways helicopters flew from a heliport atop the iconic Pan Am Building [Courtesy: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum]

Key Takeaways:

The failures of historical U.S. helicopter airlines were primarily driven by deadly accidents that eroded public trust and high operating costs, despite federal subsidies.
The nascent eVTOL industry must prioritize safety above all else to gain public acceptance, a critical factor that ultimately doomed its predecessors.
Key operational lessons for eVTOLs include diligently managing operating costs, strategically maintaining tight and efficient routes, and seamlessly integrating first and last-mile ground transportation.

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As investors envision a new era of hovering, environmentally friendly, electric air taxis flying short hops over traffic jams to nearby airports, the history of U.S. helicopter airlines may offer some keys to success.

New York Airways (1953-1979) and Los Angeles Airways (1947-1971)—along with similar operations in San Francisco and Chicago—were aviation trailblazers, part of the first wave of vertical takeoff and landing passenger airlines.