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Airbus Joins Uber For On-Demand Chopper Rides (thestack.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the what-could-possibly-go-wrong? dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Airbus is teaming up with Uber to provide on-demand helicopter rides, due to debut at the Sundance Film Festival which opens in Utah this month. The flight service will employ H125 and H130 aircraft to transport passengers, while Uber vehicles will ferry them to and from the helipad sites. A Utah-based firm, called Air Resources, will be coordinating the service. This is not the first time Uber has experimented with helicopter partnerships, transporting people via chopper ride at the U.S. Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Cannes Film Festival, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, and from New York into the Hamptons in 2013.

37 comments

  1. Sundance was a bad choice by khetti · · Score: 1

    This should have debuted at the friggin' Catalina Wine Mixer!

  2. Get to the copper! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Perfect if you having a night on the town and need to get away from a preditor.

    1. Re:Get to the copper! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Uber Choppa Uber Choppa Uber Choppa...... I uh I uh I am hooked on a feelin!

  3. first post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    fuck the lizards, THEY LIVE well fuck them so do I and they will flee! THEY WILL FLEE! HAhHAH AHAHH AHHAHAHAHHAHAhhhHAhhah!

    i like the feel of warm scrotum sack on my forehead

  4. Drone ride by The-Ixian · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I am just waiting for the drone that comes, lets you harness yourself into some hanging restraints and transports me to work.... bonus if it can deliver me right to the 12th floor window....

    --
    My eyes reflect the stars and a smile lights up my face.
    1. Re:Drone ride by OzPeter · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I am just waiting for the drone that comes, lets you harness yourself into some hanging restraints and transports me to work.... bonus if it can deliver me right to the 12th floor window....

      Wait no more .. Ehang 184

      --
      I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
    2. Re:Drone ride by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We should just skip the automated car thing and go straight to autonomous aerial vehicles. Much less hassle flying vs. avoiding problems on the ground. We already have the technology working in everything from Jumbo jets to toys costing less than $100.

  5. As long as ... by PPH · · Score: 1

    ... I don't have to ride bitch position.

    Oh, I thought we were talking about a Harley. Never mind.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  6. Airbus? Since When? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Since when does Airbus provide passenger service? I can't understand how Airbus is involved in a scheme to:

    Provide helicopter transport at a film festival,
    with helicopters and pilots from Air Resources,
    ground transportation by Uber.

    How does Airbus fit into this?

    1. Re:Airbus? Since When? by OzPeter · · Score: 3, Informative

      How does Airbus fit into this?

      From the paywalled Wall St journal link in TFA

      MUNICH—Airbus Group SE will provide helicopters to Uber Technologies Inc. for its on-demand services, the European plane maker’s chief executive said Sunday.

      --
      I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
    2. Re:Airbus? Since When? by timmyf2371 · · Score: 1

      It will be a sponsorship deal to raise their profile. The people who will be travelling by helicopter to a film festival may well be potential influencers in the purchase of consumer or military products.

      --

      Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (P)anic
  7. Hi, I'm Jargon and I'll be your Uber driver.... by JargonScott · · Score: 1

    If you say to me "GET TO DA CHOPPA" I will be changing course to the nearest muddy puddle, and will promptly push you in it ass first.

    Good day...

    --
    Nuke Gay Whales for Jesus.
  8. Gonna Need Bigger Balls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My balls aren't big enough to get into that thing, though it does look cool as hell.

    Also $300,000 for a 20 minute flight time (and probably a 6 hour battery charge) isn't a good buy, in my book.

  9. FAA crack down in ???? by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    FAA crack down in ????
    uber better not try the independent contractor / we are not X with them. The last thing we want is jay's helicopter rides to crash as he can't pay for upkeep or the right insurance due to ubers low pay.

    1. Re:FAA crack down in ???? by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      FAA crack down in ????
      uber better not try the independent contractor / we are not X with them. The last thing we want is jay's helicopter rides to crash as he can't pay for upkeep or the right insurance due to ubers low pay.

      The FAA has pretty much shut down all sorts of "ridesharing" for aircraft that aren't following the rules, and given it's Airbus involved, I'm certain they're going to follow the rules.

      The FAAs will have no conniption about shutting this down in the middle of the competition and stranding everyone if it proves to violate the rules.

  10. Airbus is going into the gigolo business? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You can ride my chopper, ladies.

  11. NYC by Etherwalk · · Score: 2

    This should have debuted at the friggin' Catalina Wine Mixer!

    It's not a bad idea for the NY metro area if you have the landing pads--massive amounts of money and plenty of people willing to trade money for time. You could probably also do a good business in LA--there's some money and helicopters let you avoid the traffic.

    1. Re:NYC by gstoddart · · Score: 1

      But this is always going to be a very limited segment ... it's gimmicks and advertising, but there's no general market for on-demand helicopter rides.

      This is more about a couple of events in which a bunch of rich people need to be shuttled around and have their asses kissed.

      Keeping a helicopter on stand by is only going to be meaningful if you know you have a bunch of it to do.

      Otherwise you'd be charging hundreds (thousands?) to go pick up some schmuck and bring him to school so he can show off.

      This is beyond even first work problems. This is the problems of the 1%, the rest of the world doesn't give a crap if some rich ass can dial up a helicopter ride on demand.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    2. Re:NYC by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      there's no general market for on-demand helicopter rides.

      There is little demand at current prices, but if an app can reduce the price by eliminating administrative overhead and increasing utilization, then prices could fall dramatically.

    3. Re:NYC by captaindomon · · Score: 1

      Maybe not in the states, but in Brazil, for example, there is already a thriving economy. Sao Paulo has nearly 500 helicopters operating. Here is an article but there is also a great documentary on Netflix, I believe. http://www.theguardian.com/wor...

      --
      Just because I can hook a shark from a boat, I do no offer to wrestle it in the water.
    4. Re:NYC by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1
      Sorry, one of our two choppers crashed - welcome to surge pricing!

      Oh, you'd rather drive? Then call up a Uber car - welcome to surge pricing since everyone else now has the same idea.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    5. Re:NYC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As a Brazilian, I must ask: Thriving? Our economy is in the hole because we either spent it on unnecessary events (world cup and the olympics) that brought a revenue "below the expectations" (meaning that added nothing), one of our main companies is going through a scandal that,albeit necessary, just took out the revenue of entire regions and said scandal just gutted the biggest employer of the country.

      The general populace thirsts for blood and, so far, it all seems "business as usual" with only a couple of execs hanging.

      Real-to-dollar ratio is going to the roof and nobody knows what to do besides praying for everything to get better.

      So, I ask again: Thriving?

    6. Re:NYC by captaindomon · · Score: 1

      Sorry, I meant "a thriving economy of personal helicopter commuters". I wasn't speaking to the economy in general. It seems like there are a lot of commuters in Brazil's larger cities that use helicopters, compared to other large cities in other countries.

      --
      Just because I can hook a shark from a boat, I do no offer to wrestle it in the water.
    7. Re:NYC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The cost of helicopters is related to things like fuel, landing pads, helicopters being very high-precision things, and the fact that being a helicopter pilot is *hard*. None of these things are magically fixed by "apps".

    8. Re:NYC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know, 500 helicopters doesn't seem like a huge number for Sao Paulo, city of 11 million residents (or 20 million for the whole metro area). It still seems very much like a niche thing.

      (Not the AC you were replying to)

    9. Re:NYC by fluffernutter · · Score: 1

      Imagine how cheap it would be to run a helicopter without those annoying mandated safety inspections. After all, Uber vehicles don't have to regulate themselves.

      --
      Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
    10. Re:NYC by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Get on the job and crash that currency. I've almost finished all the $0.99/750ml Brazillian rum I bought the last time one of your reds crashed the real.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    11. Re:NYC by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      The cost of helicopters is related to things like fuel, landing pads, helicopters being very high-precision things, and the fact that being a helicopter pilot is *hard*.

      I don't believe that. I rode on a helicopter over the Mauna Loa caldera. Each group flew with minimal admin overhead. There was another helicopter tour company across the street, and yet another next door, so there was plenty of competition. I paid $150 for a one hour tour. That is a tiny fraction of a typical per-person booking fee for a helicopter in the SF Bay Area (where I live). The difference was low overhead and competition.

    12. Re:NYC by cstacy · · Score: 1

      The cost of helicopters is related to things like fuel, landing pads, helicopters being very high-precision things, and the fact that being a helicopter pilot is *hard*.

      I don't believe that. I rode on a helicopter over the Mauna Loa caldera. Each group flew with minimal admin overhead. There was another helicopter tour company across the street, and yet another next door, so there was plenty of competition. I paid $150 for a one hour tour. That is a tiny fraction of a typical per-person booking fee for a helicopter in the SF Bay Area (where I live). The difference was low overhead and competition.

      Tour rates will be different than "air taxi" rates in any event; they are regulated quite differently.

      WIth a few minutes of searching, I could not find any advertised rates for helicopter air taxi rates in the Bay area.

    13. Re:NYC by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      Tour rates will be different than "air taxi" rates in any event; they are regulated quite differently.

      Exactly. Helicopters are not inherently expensive. They are expensive because of administrative/regulatory overhead and the lack of a transparent and competitive market.

      WIth a few minutes of searching, I could not find any advertised rates for helicopter air taxi rates in the Bay area.

      Of course not. There is no "air taxi" market. You call the helicopter company, then the next day their sales dept calls you back. They they fax you some forms. A few days after that you get a quote for $8000/hr, for a helicopter ride next month.

      Meanwhile, the heli-tour in Hawaii is charging $150/seat with a five minute transaction time.

    14. Re:NYC by tlambert · · Score: 1

      The cost of helicopters is related to things like fuel, [...]

      Haven't you heard, yet? Fuel is cheap again.

  12. ob by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    GET INTO DA CHOPPA!

  13. Not licensed pilots by captaindomon · · Score: 5, Funny

    In keeping with Uber's business model, the pilots won't be licensed, of course. And the helicopters won't be inspected or insured. That's ok because you're not really buying a helicopter ride, you're just asking to ride along with somebody that happens to have a helicopter they found somewhere and a smartphone.

    --
    Just because I can hook a shark from a boat, I do no offer to wrestle it in the water.
    1. Re:Not licensed pilots by gavron · · Score: 1

      LOL! I just posted a (more serious) note about the requirements in the US for on-demand (charter) air operations and the highly regulated environment. It's much more strict that simply having a licensed pilot :)

      If you're interested, check out 14 CFR 135. There are requirements for
      - pilots
      - aircraft
      - facility
      - maintenance
      - passenger security

      In other words... it's -nothing- like an Uber.

      Also the press-release is just marketing hype. Uber isn't buying helicopters nor flying them and Airbus isn't subsidizing that either :)

      Cheers,

      Ehud Gavron
      FAA Commercial Helicopter Pilot

  14. Are there any water buffalos there? by umghhh · · Score: 1

    get some! get some! hahahahaha
    get some baby, get some, get some!
    hahahaha! get some! get some!

  15. No, you can't Uber a chopper :) by gavron · · Score: 3, Informative

    This marketing press-release is making the rounds, and with each retelling it's getting more farfetched.

    No, you will not be able to *ever* call up a helicopter to pick you up with Uber. This is just a marketing press release (and fairly effective obviously).

    In the United States helicopter manufacturers don't fly helicopter -- helicopter flight operations companies do. Those that do on-demand (charter) flights are licensed under "Part 135" (14 CFR 135 to be precise). See http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/te... for details.

    Part 135 operators have strict requirements for pilots, aircraft, maintenance, and flight operations. They also have requirements for passengers some of which are dictated by the TSA. PDF (sorry): http://nata.aero/data/files/gi...

    Now if Uber and Airbus were *TRULY* committed to doing something together, then Airbus would provide aircraft at reduced lease rates to operating companies that could then partner with Uber. Uber would deliver the passenger to the helicopter; the helicopter would do the long-haul flight; another Uber car would deliver the passenger to the final destination. All this is doable, but none of it is in the press-release. None of it is in the plans. None of it is going to make a flight-ops company buy multi-million-dollar aircraft.

    It sure would be nice though. I'd love to fly more people around in a helicopter.

    Ehud Gavron
    FAA Commercial Helicopter Pilot
     

  16. What Is Really Going On by cstacy · · Score: 1

    From the article, sounds like an air taxi company called Air Resources will be supplying helicopter service as usual. The helicopters happen to be made by Airbus. Air Resources will not only do the helicopter pickup/dropoff, but will also push buttons on the normal Uber app to hail the cars. (Normally they would call a limo car service on the phone, but instead they will call an unlicensed limo service on the app.) Uber has nothing to do with the helicopter part of it, really.

    How this is different from the passenger pushing the buttons on the Uber app on their own phone is unclear, and at most, a very minor detail.

    The whole thing is just random trivial hype.