Speaking to France Info on 8 August 2024, Augustin de RomanetCEO of the ADP Group, confirmed what many observers had thought: the electric flying taxis (VTOL)which are supposed to take to the skies over Paris for the Olympic Games, remain grounded for the time being.. " We are not abandoning this project. The delay is just a few weeks. This is mainly due to a delay in the delivery of the engines by the American manufacturers. It is also due to the pending certification of the "Volocity" by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)" .
Flying taxis by the end of 2024
" No model of electric flying taxi has yet been certified anywhere in the world.. It takes time, but our aim is to be the first to obtain this certification. And to launch flights before the reopening of Notre-Dame at the end of the year" said Augustin de Romanet on France Info.
The ADP Group CEO's speech has also evolved somewhat. Essentially designed to fast, safe transport between vertiports for passengers, Augustin de Romanet insisted above all on the emergency and medical nature of these taxis. The aim was to quell the controversy surrounding a form of transport that many consider to be "for the rich".
" A device of this kind, which is carbon-free, silent and flexible because it can be placed on virtually any flat surface, represents a tremendous innovation, particularly for the emergency transport" explained Augustin de Romanet. The aircraft can carry out a medical transfer from any location in a very short time.
However, the CEO of the ADP group admits half-heartedly that flying taxis will be very practical for private travel. Particularly in large conurbations where traffic jams are legion.
Sluggish air traffic in Paris for the Olympic Games
Flying taxis to be tested on Thursday and Sunday at Saint-Cyr-l'Ecole airfieldclose to the grounds of the Château de Versailles. " A worldwide event, taking place 241 years after the first hot-air balloon took off from the same spot." underlined the CEO.
Regarding the effect of the Olympic Games on air traffic in Paris, Augustin de Romanet confirmed that fewer tourists were travelling to the capital. " Demand was expected to be flat compared with last year. This is the case. Although point-to-point traffic is down, this is offset by a significant increase in transfer passenger flows." he said.
ADP states that 240,000 passengers pass through Roissy every dayThis is equivalent to 92% of traffic before Covid. WhileOrly handles around 115,000 passengers a dayThis represents 110% of traffic for the same period in 2019.
