QUESTION
What is the timeline for selecting an operator for the downtown heliport and introducing electric helicopters?
1:18:13
·
119 sec
The New York City Economic Development Corporation aims to select an operator for the downtown heliport by this fall.
- The selected operator will be required to make investments in preparation for operating electric helicopters upon receiving FAA certification.
- Electric helicopters are not expected to begin operations until 2025 at the earliest, pending FAA certification.
- While the RFP discusses electric helicopters, they cannot be implemented until after FAA approval in 2025.
- The RFP requires the new operator to reduce tour helicopter operating hours by 30% to address quality of life concerns, but the overall 30,000 annual flight cap remains.
Gale A. Brewer
1:18:13
Very quickly.
1:18:14
And maybe you said this, but how what is the timing on the RFP that's For the downtown?
Jennifer Sun
1:18:20
Our gold council member is to select an operator by this fall.
Gale A. Brewer
1:18:24
By this fall.
1:18:25
And when I I do appreciate coming to the electric helicopter event.
1:18:31
What's the timing on the a normal electric helicopter?
1:18:34
I assume it's not by the fall.
Anton Fredriksson
1:18:37
Not by the fall, unfortunately, but we are anticipating FA certification as soon as 2025.
Gale A. Brewer
1:18:42
2025.
1:18:43
So if the the RFP could talk about electric, but it wouldn't be able to implement until 2025.
1:18:50
Is that what you're sort of saying?
Anton Fredriksson
1:18:52
It talks about electric, and we're requiring our operator to start making investments right away in anticipation of FA certification.
Gale A. Brewer
1:18:58
But but electrics wouldn't be operating until 2025, sensibly.
Anton Fredriksson
1:19:03
As much as we'd like that to be the case.
1:19:05
Okay.
1:19:05
The aircraft had to be have to be certified by the FAA first.
Gale A. Brewer
1:19:09
Okay.
1:19:09
And is it possible to have looking at the RFPs again where it's not using not implementing any helicopters that are doing when I would consult tourism or nonessential task?
1:19:23
Because that's something that is part of that discussion with the RFP?
Jennifer Sun
1:19:29
So the RFP takes the approach recognizing that EDC has the ability through our concession agreements to try to, you know, through policy moves further restrict tour flights at DMH.
1:19:40
And so That's the requirement then of reducing the tour operator operating hours by 30%.
1:19:47
That's an effort to be further responsive to quality of life concerns.
Gale A. Brewer
1:19:52
How does that impact that 30,000 flight number?
Jennifer Sun
1:19:56
It doesn't.
1:19:57
I acknowledge that we're not changing the overall annual flight cap, that still remains at 30,000.
1:20:04
But still, we're trying to through operations, reduce the number of tour flights and how often they're in the skies.