For the past three years, Brazil-based air mobility platform Flapper has been offering shared flights and on demand charters to the São Paulo Formula 1 Grand Prix in Interlagos.

This year's São Paulo F1 GP will take place at the Autódromo de Interlagos, located about 20 kilometres from the centre of São Paulo. Demand is strong this year, with a 40 per cent growth forecast compared to 2022, when 30 shared flights took place.

Flapper offers charter options to São Paulo and helicopter transfers to the event location. For those already in the capital of São Paulo, the most popular service is the Airbus Écureuil helicopter transfer, departing from the Blue Tree Helipad (SSOA) on Av Faria Lima.

- Departure times for Saturday's training will be at 12:00pm and 12:30pm, with return times at 5:30pm and 6:00pm.

- On the day of the GP, departure will be at 11:00am and 11:30am, returning at 5:00pm and 5:30pm.

The price per seat is R$2,990 per person one way. On demand charter customers can choose from more than six different types of aircraft, including the Écureuil B2 and B3 models and Airbus EC135, H145 and EC155, Agusta A109 and Bell 429 twin-turbine helicopters.

In addition to these fixed operations, Flapper will continue to operate with exclusive or shared charters from other regions of São Paulo. In total, there will be more than 20 helipads in the region, including locations such as Guarulhos, Catarina airport, Avenida Paulista, Alphaville, Osasco and Grande ABC, which can be requested through the app.

Flapper also offers aircraft charter for those who want to come from other states to attend the GP event. According to the quotation system available on the website, a flight of up to one hour aboard a Citation CJ2 jet will cost at least R$39,000. Leaving Ribeirão Preto, chartering an eight seat Pilatus PC-12 would cost R$29,900.

Flapper CEO Paul Malicki says demand is strong: “We are anticipating a 40 per cent increase in the booking of both aircraft and helicopters for this year's edition. The data collected during our on demand operations will be used for the future launch of autonomous flights operated by hybrid-eVTOL aircraft.”

All Flapper flights will feature complimentary beers provided by Heineken, an F1 sponsor. The partnership between the brands, which began during this year's music festival The Town, will continue at all other events of the year where Flapper acts as a helicopter supplier.

Flapper performed 40 helicopter take offs and landings during the Sao Paulo music festival The Town this September.

The flights were carried out onboard single-turbine AS350s and Agusta A109, Bell 429 and Airbus EC155 twin-turbine helicopters. Passengers were able to disembark at the Interlagos race track at the Ayrton Senna Kartódromo heliport.

“Brazilians want to get to major events, such as concerts and sporting competitions, more comfortably. Air charter is one of the best options and will become increasingly common as São Paulo resumes its tourism and events role,” says Malicki.