Large train station at the hangar opening of the air taxi manufacturer Volocopter last year. The goal at the time: The electric air vehicles should fly regularly at the 2024 Olympics. But time is running out.
The plan of the air taxi manufacturer Volocopter to start passenger operations with the electric aircraft at the Olympic Games in Paris in the summer could fail due to the lack of a license. There are delays in the approval process, said a spokeswoman for the company from Bruchsal near Karlsruhe. Volocopter is basically sticking to its plans, but they are now “very ambitious,” she said. The French newspaper “Les Échos” had previously reported on it.
According to previous information from the Federal Ministry of Transport, a type certificate is required for regular passenger operations. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency Easa is examining this for the VoloCity model, which will initially be operated with safety pilots on board. The new aircraft with a distinctive ring for the rotors on the roof can take off and land vertically. There is space for two people.
The spokeswoman emphasized that this was the first time such aircraft had been approved. Therefore, some details regarding the requirements for special evidence are still unclear. However, as she put it, we are in a constructive process with Easa.
The Olympic Games in the French capital begin on July 26th. Everyone is working to ensure that private individuals can also be transported, said the Volocopter spokeswoman. If the license is not available by then, the start will only be postponed, not abandoned. “We want to make history here.” In this case, demonstration flights should be seen during the major sporting event, she explained. “We definitely want to show what you can do with airmobility in cities.”
Source: Stern
