Potential Application of the Helicopter in Urban Mass Transportation

摘要

In the first part of this monograph, the current feasibility of VTOL type machines in intraurban transportation is briefly explored. It is shown that at 50 percent load factors, the helicopter could economically compete with taxicabs for stage lengths of 10 or more miles. The seat-mile costs for such stage lengths would be about $0.34 per occupied seat mile. However, it is observed that the helicopter would not enjoy the operational fluidity of a taxi, but would likely be restricted to certain high-density, point-to-point routes. This, together with current noise levels and the disruptions often caused by weather, seems to rule the helicopter out as a 'mass transportation' device. A rather cursory examination of the effects of future research and development on VTOL feasibility is also made. Economically, it might be possible to reduce seat-mile costs by as much as 30 percent. Using the 50 percent load factor case again, and assuming 1967 dollar values, the helicopter could compete with taxicabs (in some respects) over routes as short as 5 miles. However, even these rates are not likely to permit the VTOL machine to serve in the role of mass transportation. Apart from economics, the noise problem, air-traffic-control requirements with numerous vehicles in operation, and the effects of weather almost certainly preclude VTOL in the mass transportation role. (Author)