Flapper (company)
| Company type | Joint-stock company |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 1, 2016 in São Paulo, Brazil |
| Headquarters | Lisbon , Portugal |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Website | www |
Flapper is a business aviation company headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal that provides on-demand air charter and aircraft management services worldwide.
Company history
Flapper was established in early 2016[1] by a group of Brazilian and Polish entrepreneurs.[2]
Brazilian startup accelerator ACE was the first to inject resources into Flapper, and in the middle of 2018 other investors, including Brazilian fund manager Confrapar, led its seed investment.[2] As of December 2018, the company has accrued R$4 million in funding.[3]
In October 2018, it was reported that Flapper was planning to add electric autonomous helicopters (eVTOL) to its flight-sharing service, with a projected launch in 2021.[4]
In 2020, Flapper expanded internationally, first entering the Chilean market,[5] followed by the United States,[6] and subsequently establishing its international headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal.[7]
In 2021, Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions (an Embraer company) and Flapper announced a partnership aimed at developing the urban air mobility market in Latin America. The partnership was described as a proof-of-concept for future operations of Eve’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, including planned use of helicopters for data collection and a potential allocation of flight time across major cities in the region.[8]
In 2024, Flapper announced a Series A extension and stated that it planned to direct resources toward an aircraft management and fractional management program. The company also said it had signed letters of intent with several electric- and hybrid-electric aircraft manufacturers, including MagniX, Electra, Jaunt Mobility, and Eve Mobility.[9]
In 2025, Flapper acquired Brazilian air carrier Black Táxi Aéreo in an all-cash deal, bringing Black’s fleet and facilities under Flapper’s operation. Under the terms of the acquisition, Black became an air taxi operator within Flapper’s brokerage model, and its founder assumed leadership of Flapper’s aircraft management and fractional ownership division. The combined organization added several aircraft to its operations, including a Gulfstream GIV-SP jet and other jets under management.[10]
As of 2025, Flapper reported approximately 4,000 aircraft listed on its digital platform and more than 30,000 customers.[11]
Operations
Flapper’s primary business is full aircraft charter, which it provides through a digital booking platform and mobile application connecting customers with aircraft operators. The company has described its services as including air charter and crowdsourced flights, and has stated that it plans to introduce additional aircraft management services.[9]
According to Business Air News, Flapper lists more than 4,000 aircraft for on-demand charter, and projected 500,000 downloads of its mobile private-jet booking application by the end of 2025.[12]
Since 2025, Flapper has expanded its operations to include aircraft management and fractional ownership programs following its acquisition of Black Táxi Aéreo, complementing its charter brokerage activities.[13]
Payments
Flapper allows users to pay for flights via credit card, with the option to divide payments into three installments,[14][15] as well as cryptocurrency.[16]
References
- ^ Freitas, Tainá (June 14, 2018). "Startup de aviação levanta R$ 3 milhões para fazer VOCÊ andar de jatinho" [Aviation startup raises $3 million to make YOU ride a jet]. StartSe (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 24, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ a b Faustino, Rafael (April 1, 2018). ""Uber da Aviação Executiva", Startup Brasileira Expande Serviço e Atrai Investimentos" ["Uber of Executive Aviation", Brazilian Startup Expands Service and Attracts Investments]. Globo (in Portuguese). Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- ^ Renner, Maurício (July 12, 2018). "Flapper Oferece Concur para Clientes" [Flapper Offers Concur for Clients]. Baguete (in Portuguese). Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^ Paiva, Fernando (October 30, 2018). "Flapper planeja oferta de voos em helicópteros elétricos autônomos no Brasil" [Flapper plans to offer autonomous electric helicopter flights in Brazil]. Mobile Time (in Portuguese). Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ "Aerocardal and Flapper to pool Latam resources". Business Air News. Stansted News Limited. November 24, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ "The future is mobile: the private jet app from Flapper". Aerotime. December 6, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ Epstein, Curt (June 3, 2022). "Flapper Lands in Europe". AIN. AIN Media Group. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ "Eve and Flapper to develop urban air mobility operations in Latin America". IoT Automotive News. July 22, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ a b "Flapper secures Series A extension funding to expand technology and launch fractional aircraft management program". Gulf News. June 20, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ Ripardo, Sérgio (August 21, 2025). "Fusão do táxi aéreo: Flapper compra Black Aviação e cria clube de jatos privados" [Air taxi merger: Flapper buys Black Aviação and creates a private jet club.]. Bloomberg Línea (in Portuguese). Bloomberg Línea. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ "Flapper, Air Taxi Hiring Technology Company, Celebrates 30.000 Customers". Aeroflap. July 21, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ "Black joins forces with Flapper to lead the way in Brazil". Business Air News. Stansted News Limited. August 28, 2025. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ "Brazil's Flapper buys Black Aviação, starts fractional ownership". ch-aviation. 2025. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ Figo, Anderson (August 31, 2018). "'Uber dos Jatinhos Privados Libera Parcelamento em Voos Compartilhados" [Uber of Private Jets Enables Installments on Shared Flights]. Exame (in Portuguese). Abril Midia. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ "Uber de jatinhos lança 10 novos destinos para o Réveillon" [Uber of Jets launches 10 new destinations for New Year's Eve]. Cartão de Visita News (in Portuguese). November 30, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ "Empresa brasileira de voos compartilhados agora aceita pagamentos em bitcoin" [Brazilian shared-flight company now accepts payments in bitcoin]. Airway (in Portuguese). 2019. Retrieved February 10, 2026.