Flytenow
Flytenow, founded in 2013, was a San Francisco-based startup that facilitated cost-sharing flights by connecting private pilots with passengers through an online platform. Despite its innovative approach to reduce aviation costs, it faced legal challenges from the FAA, leading to its shutdown.
History of Flytenow
Flytenow was founded in 2013 and operated as a ride-sharing platform for small planes, connecting private pilots with passengers willing to share expenses. Based in San Francisco, CA with remote operations, the platform enabled pilots to post flights and enthusiasts to join and split costs. However, Flytenow faced legal challenges from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These challenges led to a lawsuit filed by the company to overturn the FAA's ruling barring expense sharing, which ultimately resulted in the shutdown of the platform.
Legal and Legislative Efforts
Flytenow engaged significantly in legal and legislative efforts to support the sharing economy in aviation. They filed a lawsuit in the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia seeking to overturn the FAA's ruling but were denied on December 18, 2015. Additionally, Flytenow advocated for the passage of the revised Aviation Empowerment Act and the Aviation Cost and Expense Sharing Act of 2015 to allow for internet-based expense sharing. These efforts received bipartisan support from both Democrats and Republicans.
Y Combinator Support
Flytenow was backed by Y Combinator in its Summer 2014 (S14) batch. The support from Y Combinator provided significant exposure and validation for the startup, helping it to engage with a broader audience and advocate for legislative changes in the aviation sector.
Online Flight-Sharing Platform
Flytenow operated an internet flight-sharing startup that offered an online bulletin board for facilitating cost-sharing arrangements. The platform allowed pilots to post their flight details, verify their qualifications with the FAA, and connect with passengers via social media and direct messaging. The aim was to decrease aircraft ownership and operating costs by up to 75%. Despite the shutdown in the United States, similar online flight-sharing initiatives in Europe were tracked to perform 60,000 flights per year, endorsed by the European Aviation Safety Agency.