Plans to flight-test air taxis carrying passengers during the Paris Olympic Games have been abandoned due to the failure to secure engine certification in time, according to French airport operator ADP. ADP, a partner in the project, and German manufacturer Volocopter, creators of the electric two-seater VoloCity, aimed to demonstrate the potential of carbon-free aviation in urban settings during the Olympics. Despite government approval, the project faced criticism from Paris city officials for targeting the ultra-rich and contributing to noise pollution. ADP CEO Augustin de Romanet announced on Franceinfo radio that a test flight without passengers will occur at the Chateau de Versailles on the Olympics' closing day. Certification delays were attributed to late delivery of motors from US suppliers, a situation corroborated by Volocopter in local media. The initial plan involved air taxis landing on a floating platform on the Seine river near the Austerlitz railway station during the Games. Volocopter had previously conducted a manned test flight at the Saint-Cyr-L'Ecole aerodrome. Romanet expressed hope that the project would resume within a few weeks, with intentions to fly over the Seine before the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in December 2024. Local Versailles authorities have approved the test flight, scheduled to take off from the Grand Trianon building within the 17th-century Versailles palace grounds. Romanet highlighted the potential of the vehicle as an emergency response asset, emphasizing its life-saving capabilities.