Joby Aviation, a US company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, which it intends to operate as a commercial passenger aircraft in 2024, has begun generating revenue as part of achieving another major milestone in the Agility Prime programme.
The company also announced that it has agreed to a ‘G-1’ certification basis for its aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This agreement lays out the specific requirements that need to be met by Joby’s aircraft for it to be certified for commercial operations.
“The Agility Prime and Joby partnership is now on an accelerated path to identify the opportunities for early adoption of these aircraft for logistics that provide flexibility to operators and savings to taxpayers. We are also one step closer to the commercialization of a clean, quiet, modern, transportation system,” said Nathan P. Diller, Agility Prime Director.
The news of Joby generating revenue comes on the heels of the company being awarded the Air Force’s first-ever airworthiness approval for an eVTOL vehicle at the end of 2020.
JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, said: “The Agility Prime program represents an invaluable opportunity to understand and accelerate the positive impact of clean, electric aircraft in the US and beyond.”
“With ten years of engineering and more than a 1000 test flights behind us, we’re excited to now be playing a key role in demonstrating the potential of this new sector while giving the US Government a front row seat.”
Joby also confirmed that it agreed to a G-1 certification basis for its aircraft with the FAA in 2020. A G-1 outlines the criteria that need to be met in order for an aircraft to be certified for civil commercial operations, and reaching the milestone marks a key step on the way towards certifying any new aircraft in the US.
Joby’s aircraft will be certified in line with the FAA’s existing Part 23 requirements for Normal Category Airplanes, with special conditions introduced to address requirements specific to Joby’s unique aircraft. Bevirt added, “While we still have several years of aircraft testing ahead of us, we now have a clearly defined, and achievable, path to certifying our aircraft and introducing customer flights.”
“Reaching this milestone is a watershed moment for our new industry and I’m tremendously grateful for the many years of hard work the FAA and our in-house aviation safety experts have put into getting us to this point.”
Garmin’s G3000 integrated flight deck has been selected by Joby.
Joby Aviation selects Garmin G3000 for eVTOL
Garmin’s aviation team has announced a long-term agreement to provide the state-of-the-art G3000 integrated flight deck to Joby Aviation.
The modular G3000 integrated flight deck boasts light weight and vibrant high-resolution flight displays that support navigation, communication and flight sensor solutions and integrates seamlessly with Joby’s aircraft systems.
Specifically tailored to meet the needs of eVTOL aircraft, the G3000 system that will be featured in Joby’s eVTOL aircraft delivers enhanced capabilities to optimize their air mobility service through tight integration with the vehicle mission computer and tailoring of flight guidance display indications.
Further, the G3000 will be able to facilitate future system upgrades as the Advanced Aerial Mobility (AAM) industry continues to evolve.
Joby Aviation is a California headquartered company developing an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. After more than a decade of engineering and development, Joby intends to operate the aircraft as a fast, quiet and affordable air mobility service as early as 2024.
The piloted, zero-emissions aircraft, will be capable of transporting four passengers up to 150 miles on a single charge, with a top cruising speed of 200 mph. It is designed to help reduce urban congestion and accelerate the shift to sustainable modes of transit. Designed for daily life, the aircraft lands vertically and provides flexibility and versatility to serve nearly any community.