Air taxi manufacturer - Volocopter waits for approval to fly in Paris
It is uncertain if manufacturer Volocopter will be able to present their electric flying taxis as planned during the Olympic Games, as the permit is not reportedly available yet. Such approvals are typically granted quite quickly. Responsible for these authorizations are, according to a spokesperson, the French civil aviation authority DGAC and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency Easa.
The Volocopter type Volocity aircraft from the company in Bruchsal, Germany, take off and land vertically. They have a large ring of rotors on the roof.
Green light from Paris - but only for the landing site
The French State Council recently rejected two applications to stop a time-limited take-off and landing site for the flying taxis in the heart of Paris. The city of Paris and several organizations had questioned the legality of the order for the operation. A control station for nuisance caused by air traffic was supposed to be activated. The State Council overruled this.
The Volocopter spokesperson welcomed the approval for the construction of the so-called Vertiport. "This means Paris is starting to engage with sustainable air mobility." However, the decision had no influence on Volocopter flights, it was stated, as it was considered a political discussion.
Passengers must remain outside
A European Aviation Safety Agency type certification for the planned commercial passenger operation is still pending. This would be the first time such aircraft were approved. Volocopter had previously stated they expected to achieve this by the end of this year.
According to earlier statements from the Federal Transport Ministry, there is nothing technically against flying operations. Volocopter has already conducted many test and demonstration flights.
The DGAC, being a part of the French civil aviation authority, along with EASA from the EU, are responsible for granting approvals for such innovative air traffic like Volocopter's electric flying taxis. Despite the Green light in Paris for the landing site, the EU Aviation Safety Agency still needs to provide a type certification for the planned commercial passenger operation. This approval would markedly be the first of its kind for such aircraft. Germany, specifically Baden-Württemberg, is home to Volocopter, a company renowned for their Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft, which include the Volocity model. Interestingly, Germany historically shares borders with France, with Bruchsal as one of the German cities. Despite the approval of the Vertiport construction, it's worth noting that helicopters are frequently used to manage air traffic in large cities, such as Paris, during events like the Olympic Games.
