FAA has Issued Joby Aviation a Special Airworthiness Certificate for the first aircraft built , Allows flight testing to begin.

One can see the flying taxi or Urban Air Mobility (UAM) domain taking shape and moving towards the reality Wednesday as Joby Aviation said to have received necessary U.S. regulatory (FAA) approval to start the testing.

Coming back strong from last year's setback in February, Joby Aviation has announced that it is set to commence the flight testing of its first all-electric air taxi after receiving Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for the first aircraft build at its Pilot Production Line in California.

Joby Aviation Press release read,

"Joby has received a Special Airworthiness Certificate for the first aircraft built at its Pilot Production Line in Marina, CA, allowing flight testing to begin;"

"The aircraft is expected to become the first ever eVTOL aircraft to be delivered to a customer; Production line and aircraft built in close collaboration with strategic partner and investor, Toyota; California Governor Gavin Newsom visited Joby to mark the occasion."

The eVTOL will undergo initial flight testing before being delivered to Edwards Air Force Base in California in 2024, where Joby said it would be used to demonstrate a range of potential logistics use cases.

Joby Aviation says,

The aircraft is expected to become the first ever eVTOL aircraft to be delivered to a customer when it moves to Edwards Air Force Base in 2024 to be operated by Joby as part of the Company’s Agility Prime contract with the U.S. Air Force, worth up to $131 million.

The company intends to commence commercial passenger operations in 2025 and has partnered with Delta Air Lines to provide emissions-free transport to and from airports for Delta customers.

“Today’s achievement is the culmination of years of investment in our processes and technology and it marks a major step on our journey to scaled production,” commented Joby CEO JoeBen Bevirt in a statement.

The company also announced the appointment of Toyota Motor North America CEO Tetsuo Ogama to its board of directors, effective July 1, 2023.

"Recognizing the key role Toyota has played in the design of Joby’s Pilot Production Line, as well as in the production and assembly of the Joby aircraft, Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa, President and Chief Executive Officer of Toyota Motor North America, Inc., will join more than 1,000 guests and team members at Joby’s Marina facility later today to celebrate the launch of production."

Ogawa, who will join Joby’s Board of Directors on July 1, 2023, said:

“We congratulate Joby on reaching this milestone and look forward to working ever more closely as Joby prepares to scale production and start operations.”

Toyota is Joby’s largest external shareholder, having invested $400 million to date, and the two companies recently signed a long-term agreement for the supply of powertrain and actuation components.

Display Picture : Joby Aviation

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