Sabena tests the economics of a helicopter airline

With many trained S-55/H-19 pilots available, civilian operators could consider scheduled passenger service. Sabena used the S-55 for Europe's first commercial helicopter service, linking Rotterdam, Maastricht, Cologne, and Bonn. The aircraft offered speed and novelty, but each flight remained expensive to scale. A well-run railway can add carriages without multiplying vehicles and crews in the same way. The comparison with Hyperloop asks whether the time saved can justify the higher cost, and argues that such systems remain niche at current technology unless conventional rail is run badly.