Although some folks say that Air Taxi is a “revolutionary new way to travel,” people have been chartering airplanes, flying “on-demand” and using the term “air taxi” for decades – at least as far back as the early 1930’s.
What is Air Taxi Service
In the past, large aircraft served airports in major metropolitan, leaving a vacuum of service to cities and rural communities around the United States. As more and more air fields were constructed, smaller aircraft began air service between the larger metropolitan areas and these smaller communities.
This blend of air transportation availability continues today for many reasons:
- Large Boeing and AirBus planes are designed to carry hundreds of passengers. These aircraft require long runways and therefor, cannot operate into all of the airports in the United States.
- Many cities cannot offer a viable market to the airlines. There simply aren’t enough travelers on a daily basis to have a route.
- The Air Taxi industry provides air transportation to all airports in the USA using smaller aircraft capable of economically flying fewer passengers and landing and taking off from shorter runways.
Historical Air Taxi Industry Movers and Shakers
“Stearman” and “Cessna” are two familiar names in aviation. Most people associate these names with images of airplanes and rightly so. These are but two names of very prominent early airplane designers.
For example, the Travel Air, designed by Lloyd Stearman and Clyde Cessna, first flew in 1926. 1926! Soon after, it was placed in commercial service as an air taxi plane by National Air Transport and Royal Airways.
And, just after Pauline Gower learned to fly in 1929, she turned her passion into a thriving business.
“She established an air taxi service that operated until the outbreak of the war, by which time her concern had flown 30,000 passengers” – The Milwaukee Journal – Aug 22, 1943.”
Organizing the Air Taxi Industry
The air taxi industry organized itself with the formation of the National Air Taxi Association in the early 1950’s while the Civil Aeronautics Board, a government agency, sought to formally recognize air taxi operators as a new class of air carrier.
“The CAB proposes to recognize a new class of air carrier – the air taxi men [sic] who link airline points with communities lacking airline service.” – The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – February, 1951.. February, 1951.
Here in South Florida, the Air Taxi Industry was going strong in the 1960’s: Demands on Area Air Taxi Service Increases – The Palm Beach Post – Dec 31, 1967.
Because the air service is so similar to ground-based taxi cab services that provide on-demand local or regional transportation, the phrase “air taxi” was coined.
Air Taxi: Not a New Concept in Aviation or Travel
Clearly, air taxi service is not a new concept in aviation, travel or transportation. What has changed, or perhaps, what is new, is the availability of information about air taxi service providers. Computers and the World Wide Web have marshaled in this change. But Air Taxi itself, as an industry, is not new.
Air Taxi Service Then and Now
Air Taxi is an on-demand air transportation service provided by federally certificated operators who will, within the scope of their Operations Specifications, take you wherever you want to go, when you want to go.
The Air Taxi Difference
Airlines operate out of large airports, on a schedule. They tell you where they are going and what time they are departing. You travel on their schedule.
Air taxi is the business of renting an entire aircraft to travel to a destination you choose as opposed to buying an individual seat on a plane scheduled to fly between cities the airline chooses.
Air Taxis operate out of all airports, on your schedule to the destination you choose
Air Taxi operators fly a variety of airplanes, with seats for three, five, eight and more passengers. We fly within an area suited for the operational characteristics of our airplanes. And all of us fly airplanes better-suited for flights to any destination with an airport, including the major airports.
We welcome your comments and questions about the Air Taxi industry and flying, in general. Thank you for reading.