CHICAGO: Transit Developments

[Klippenstein]

Originally Posted by twister244

Are there any other cities planning on something like this, or can we gloat at being first here?

I’d say that they need to get it approved and off the ground to be able to float about being the first. Many ideas like this have come and gone, but having United Airlines behind it gives this some credibility.

[ardecila]

The article specifies they will start offering service from Newark airport to Manhattan. Not sure we’ll be first. I live near the helipad and I’m really not looking forward to this noise every 15 minutes.

[Kngkyle]

Ah yes. More transport innovation from Silicon Valley. An electric helicopter that almost certainly burns more CO2 to produce than a normal helicopter does in its entire lifecycle.

The heliport location also makes this largely useless since you still have to get a car to get anywhere.... this is in contrast to Manhattan where you can actually just walk from Wall Street to the helipad. Manhattan being an island and the tunnels/bridges being gridlocked 75% of the time also makes NY a much more compelling use case... a use case that is already proven with Blade offering traditional helicopter service for $195 per seat.

[streetline]

Given the location of the "vertiport" a ~10 minute drive from downtown, I'd think they'd need an integration deal with some ride hail app to make this work.

I suppose some execs might just have their secretaries schedule a car and a VTOL and a plane ticket separately and not care, but they'll broaden their audience if people in a hurry can book at least the car and VTOL together with one tap.

And given they're flying specifically to O'Hare, and probably heavily targeting United ticketholders even if they'll take others' money, I'm expecting they'll end up encouraging people to share VTOL rides during the times leading up to popular airline route departures.

It could be like a flying public bus for people with expense accounts.

[Chicago29]

23 March Damen Green Line station progress via FH Paschen- https://www.instagram.com/p/CqIxQyQN...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[ardecila]

Unbelievable how long it takes to pour foundations for a one-story building... and after several years of delay on the actual construction start!

I know they are reinforcing the existing steel El structure, which is more time-consuming work and very delicate with Green Line trains passing every few minutes...