Fancy a test flight? You can ride along as company gathers data for sky commutes

Helistops in Schaumburg and Tinley Park will be used this month to test the logistics of potential air taxi routes to and from Chicago.

However, conventional helicopters will be used in the short term rather than the still-developing electric aircraft for which the tests are preparing.

Eve Air Mobility is behind the tests for the future use of Electric Takeoff and Landing Vehicles that use electric power to hover, take off and land vertically and are still awaiting approval by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The testing beginning next week will gather data on such factors as air traffic and infrastructure needs for the future vehicles, Schaumburg Transportation Director Karyn Robles said.

The company Blade Air Mobility Inc. will provide the helicopters for the tests.

Ground testing will take place on Monday, followed by 15-minute passenger flights at $150 per seat beginning Wednesday, Sept. 14, and continuing on weekdays through Friday, Sept. 30.

Flights can be booked at the Blade website at blade.com/chicagoxp.

The Schaumburg Municipal Heliport is at 1050 American Lane, just west of Meacham Road and Woodfield Mall. The helicopter flights using that location will begin or end at Vertiport Chicago, 1339 S. Wood St., southwest of the intersection of Roosevelt Road and Ashland Avenue in the city.

The Tinley Park Helistop is at 7850 W. 183rd St.

Flights will travel between Chicago and either of the two suburban stops, but not between the two suburbs.

Passengers may also experience the use of the future electric vehicles through Eve's augmented reality at the Chicago and Tinley Park locations.

Representatives of the company could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but Schaumburg officials said the developing technology is said to make air taxi service in urban environments more practical and efficient.

Schaumburg Trustee Brian Bieschke, who chairs the village's transportation committee, said the presentation he saw on the upcoming tests led him to believe that approval of the less costly electric vehicles might be three to five years off.

He added that it was exciting for Schaumburg to play such a role in the preparation for their use.

Robles added that while helicopters regularly come and go from the village's helistop, the upcoming flights are for a particular new purpose.

"I think the appeal for people is that this is the start of testing for these vehicles," she said.