5 Lessons eVTOL Can Learn from Legacy Helicopter Airlines

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

Verified

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

Key Takeaways:

Past helicopter airlines failed due to fatal accidents eroding public trust and unsustainable operating costs despite federal subsidies, offering critical lessons for eVTOL safety and financial viability.
The eVTOL industry must prioritize public acceptance through stringent safety standards and efficient operations, initially utilizing piloted services, and developing financially sustainable models independent of long-term subsidies.
Strategic route planning, focusing on tight, high-demand connections (e.g., airport transfers), and seamless "first and last mile" ground transportation integration are crucial for passenger convenience and operational success.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.