AT SOME POINT between the original Magnum, PI and its current reboot, helicopter travel went from loud and ruggedly dangerous to disarmingly smooth, quiet and sophisticatedat least at the highest end of the market. Years of design and engineering improvements have imbued modern business choppers with levels of safety, luxury and speed that make them increasingly viable alternatives to fixed-wing aircraft. And when COVID-19 hit, the corporate whirlybird became even more appealing.
"On the heels of the pandemic, customers found helicopters to be the most private way to travel, skipping airport terminals or FBOs (fixed-base operators) altogether," says a spokesperson for Bell Helicopters. The numbers bear this out. A total of 27 corporate helicopters across manufacturers were delivered to US customers in 2020, but that number had nearly doubled to 50 just two years later.
Denne historien er fra May 2024-utgaven av Robb Report Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2024-utgaven av Robb Report Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Gordon Ramsay Makes it Rain
The famed British chef and TV host hasn’t held on to three Michelin stars at his flagship restaurant for 23 years simply by screaming. Alex French unearths the secret to his worldwide domination.
The Weight Of Tradition
Maximilian Riedel reflects on balancing the weight of a 260-year family legacy with modern innovation, steering a historic brand into the future while honouring its rich heritage.
Balancing Thrills
Lotus’s first electric Hyper-GT, the Emeya S, delivers thrilling performance, luxury and practicality in a striking package.
Burn Calories, Not Carbon
Luxury fitness equipment purveyor, Cycling Bears, proves that sustainability is more than a buzzword-it’s a lifestyle that we need to espouse for the sake of posterity and ourselves.
Cool As Ice
Mercedes-Benz’s brainy, down-to-earth CEO Ola Källenius is an expert at racing a nearly 4-ton truck across a frozen lake. Can he steer the marque’s electric vehicle-focused future as adeptly?
VINCENZO CASTALDO
The creative director of Pomellato delves into the artistic and personal philosophies shaping his life and work.
Electric Shock
Porsche finally adds hybridisation to the 911 with the all-new GTS, and enthusiasts are, predictably, up in arms. But how does it actually drive?
Swing Into Luxury
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN you combine one of Singapore’s most prestigious golf courses with a luxurious five-star resort? You get a hole-in-one golfing escape like no other.
Don't Bid Adieu Yet
The Vicem 65 Classic, offered in both fibreglass and cold-moulded wood, is a sophisticated vessel imbued with anachronistic panache.
STRAIGHT OUT OF ORBIS
Roger Dubuis has never been one to play it safe, and the Orbis in Machina shows why
