New York City's Heliports Are Getting an Electric Upgrade for Air Taxis

New York City is about to get a whole lot more… vertical. The city is prepping two Manhattan heliports for electric air taxis, with flights potentially kicking off as early as this year. Because apparently, flying cars aren't just for sci-fi movies anymore; they're for dodging traffic on your morning commute.

The NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is overseeing the transformation of the East 34th Street and Downtown Skyport locations. The mandate? Operators of these city-owned sites need to install electric charging infrastructure within a year of the FAA giving commercial air taxi operations the green light. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying.

The Sky's the Limit, Electrically Speaking

Kevin Cox, CEO of VertiPorts by Atlantic, is in the thick of it. His company manages the East 34th Street heliport and is coordinating with air taxi companies, utility giant Con Edison, and even the current helicopter operators. Imagine those meetings. Cox expects electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to be buzzing around a few sites by the end of 2024. Talk about a glow-up for heliports.

Getting these "vertiports" ready isn't just about slapping a charger on a pole. It involves calculating power capacities, ensuring enough electricity can be delivered, and offering two different charging systems to accommodate various operators. It's basically a gas station, but for flying vehicles, and with way more planning.

Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation are aiming to launch operations this year as part of the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. This program picked eight locations in six states, including New York and New Jersey, to figure out how not to make the skies a chaotic mess. Naturally, other cities, both in the U.S. and globally, are keenly watching to see how this whole flying taxi thing plays out. Because who doesn't want to skip traffic?

From Airport Shuttle to City Hopper

Cox is a true believer, seeing a turning point for how these aircraft can reshape communities. Cities involved now will be the first to reap the benefits — or, at the very least, get the bragging rights.

Cities are mostly asking two things: How do we learn more, and how do we get some of that sweet, sweet air taxi action? Unsurprisingly, places with soul-crushing traffic are interested. But so are cities with fewer transportation options, looking for a literal uplift.

Joby Aviation recently showed off its quiet, efficient, and quick (and, crucially, clean) air taxis in NYC. They flew from JFK to the Downtown Skyport, and the West 30th Street and East 34th Street heliports. This was after Joby bought Blade Air Mobility's passenger business last year, which included Blade's network of terminals. Smart move, buying the landing pads before you even properly take off.

The Downtown Skyport is managed by a company of the same name and is owned by New York State, actively developing its electric air taxi infrastructure. The West 30th Street heliport, usually a hub for emergency and passenger choppers, has its landing pads temporarily on a barge due to rail tunnel construction. Because even flying cars can't escape New York construction.

While airports might be the initial playgrounds for air taxis, Cox sees flights within cities coming soon, likely requiring new vertiports and, of course, community buy-in. "We're going to go where the community wants us," he says, which sounds very polite for an industry that's about to fill our skies with buzzing electric vehicles.

Cox is optimistic. He envisions a robust market in the Northeast, Florida, Northern California, Southern California, and Texas within five years. So, start saving up for those sky-high fares – your commute might just get a lot more interesting.