Gyrocopter air taxi service launches in Turkey’s Denizli

DENİZLİ

A gyrocopter, the closest thing modern aviation has to a flying car, gave its first service as an air taxi on Oct. 29 in the southwestern province of Denizli during an inauguration ceremony.

Denizli governor Hasan Karahan and Denizli mayor Osman Zolan took a tour over the town of Pamukkale, well-known for its hot springs, and the ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis in the aerial vehicle.

“It [the gyrocopter] flies like a bird, I was in awe. I had been in an air balloon before, but this was a very different experience. It is a very beautiful feeling,” Karahan was quoted as saying by Demirören News Agency following his tour.

Zolan also said he enjoyed the ride very much.

“You feel calm and special in the air. It is especially beautiful to see the unique [Pamukkale] travertines in the air. We saw Denizli from up in the air. Activities like this [i.e. air taxis] are important in terms of tourism, adrenalin seekers and sports. I highly recommend it. There is no problem regarding safety in the air. It is safer than vehicles on land because you are by yourself [there are no other vehicles in the air],” he said.

The company giving the aerial service was set up by a Pamukkale-based entrepreneur named Hüseyin Ümit Ercan. Not only will the gyrocopters from the Pamair Air Aviation Company serve as air taxis but they will also offer sightseeing flights in an attempt to boost tourism.

“Our inauguration coincided with Republic Day [Oct. 29]. In addition to offering touristic tours, our aim is to serve as air taxis. We are a city in the middle of the Aegean region. We are an hour and 15 minutes away from surrounding provinces. We serve both domestic and foreign tourists here by giving short tours over Pamukkale and ancient cities. We can land easily in airports in nearby provinces or on grass or asphalt at a 500-meter-length. Everyone that participates in our flights becomes very happy,” Ercan said.

Only two people can sit in a gyroplane at a time. The gyroplane behaves like an airplane as its rotors function as a wing. It cannot hover like a helicopter,and requires a short runway to take off and land. The main advantage of the gyroplane is they cost less and are easier to maintain compared to other types of aircraft.