Air taxi

A DHC-6 Twin Otter of Maldivian Air Taxi

An air taxi is a small commercial aircraft that makes short flights on demand.[1]

In 2001 air taxi operations were promoted in the United States by a NASA and aerospace industry study on the potential Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) and the rise of light-jet aircraft manufacturing.[2] Since 2016, air taxis have reemerged as part of the burgeoning field of eVTOL.[3]

Regulation

In Canada, air taxi operations are regulated by Transport Canada under Canadian Aviation Regulation 703. The Canadian definition of air taxi includes all commercial single-engined aircraft, multi-engined helicopters flown by visual flight rules by one pilot and all multi-engined, non-turbo-jet aircraft, with a maximum take-off weight 8,618 kg (18,999 lb) or less and nine or fewer passenger seats, that are used to transport people or goods or for sightseeing.[4]

In the US, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by 14 CFR Part 135 and 14 CFR part 298 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR).[5]

On 31 October 2023, the Chinese company Ehang chose the Lleida-Alguaire Airport as its European urban air mobility center for unmanned eVTOLs. It become the first airport in the world to authorize the take-off and landing for logistics and passenger transport of unmanned eVTOLs operated from a remote control centre.[6][7]

Air taxi operators

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air taxis.
  1. ^ Merriam-Webster (2011). "Air Taxi". Retrieved 19 January 2015.
  2. ^ "SATS: A bold vision".
  3. ^ "Flying taxis are taking off to whisk people around cities" – via The Economist.
  4. ^ Transport Canada (1 December 2009). "Canadian Aviation Regulations Part VII - Commercial Air Services Subpart 3 - Air Taxi Operations". Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  5. ^ Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). Federal Aviation Administration.
  6. ^ "Spain, the first port of call for drones transporting people in Lleida. The historic presentation by the Chinese company EHANG" (in Italian). 31 October 2023.
  7. ^ "EHang Inaugurates Its European Urban Air Mobility Center for Unmanned eVTOLs". Archived from the original on November 1, 2023.

External links