The potential of rotorcraft for intercity passenger transport

There are many high-speed rail projects in Europe at different stages of development. They are supported on environmental grounds and as a means of reducing congestion on other modes, including aviation. High-speed rail, however requires major investment costs, takes a long time to come online, and involves considerable financial risks. A potential alternative that overcomes some of these problems makes use of rotorcrafts. This paper assesses the potentiality of civil rotorcrafts as part of the air transport system. Discrete mode choice models are used to forecast traveller choice behaviour when the rotorcraft is introduced and financial evaluations performed looking at the operating costs of the competing transport modes.