OHI launches helicopter service for Brazil's richest, eyes 'flying cars'

Eve Holding

03/08/2023 12:00

By Gabriel Araujo
       SAO PAULO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Portuguese helicopter
services provider OHI launched a new business in Brazil on
Thursday to shuttle the country's super rich between Sao Paulo's
wealthiest neighborhoods, a market it sees reaching 90,000
passengers per year by 2028.
    Named Revo, the new company will offer helicopter flights
through a digital platform to high-income clients in Latin
America's largest city so they can escape the metropolis'
chaotic road traffic.
    Revo will initially offer flights connecting Faria Lima
Avenue, Sao Paulo's equivalent of Wall Street, to the local
Guarulhos international airport and Fazenda Boa Vista, a
countryside resort where many wealthy people live or spend their
free time.
    The firm at first will operate two Airbus helicopters from
the fleet of OHI's local subsidiary Omni Taxi Aereo, widely
known for providing offshore air transportation in South
America, but eyes reaching 12 choppers in the next five years.
    "So far feedback has been very positive, as well as
reactions to our prices," Revo Chief Executive Joao Welsh said
in an interview, adding he expects the firm's revenue to hit $80
million within five years.
    Revo's goal, he said, is to one day use "flying cars," or
electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), and it
has already reached a deal with Embraer-owned Eve  EVEX.N  to
buy 50 of its electric aircraft.
    "Air transport revolutions always happen in the high-income
segment," Welsh noted.
    "The eVTOL will never do everything a helicopter does in
terms of load and flight range, but I think we'll have a hybrid
phase," the executive said. "It is perfect for short flights
such as the one between Guarulhos and Faria Lima."

 (Reporting by Gabriel Araujo. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
 ((Gabriel.Araujo2@thomsonreuters.com; +55 11 5047-3352;))