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

Eve Holding

03/08/2023 15:01

(Adds prices in paragraph 6)
    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 CEO Joao Welsh said in an
interview, adding he expects the firm's revenue to hit $80
million within five years.
    Revo will charge 3,500 reais ($716.58) per seat on its
shortest flight, connecting the airport and Faria Lima. It says
that represents a 82.5% drop in prices when compared with the
current cost of flying between those places by charter.
    Revo's goal, Welsh said, is to one day use "flying cars", or
electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL). 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 not do everything a helicopter does in terms
of load and flight range initially, the executive said.
    "But I think we'll have a hybrid phase... It is perfect for
short flights such as the one between Guarulhos and Faria Lima."
    ($1 = 4.8843 reais)

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