Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Joby Aviation is now much closer to FAA certification for its air taxi

California-based Joby Aviation – a well-known name in the emerging UAM (Urban Air Mobility) sector – has reached another milestone on its path to certifying its revolutionary electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The company announced the successful completion of its second of four System Reviews required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as part of the company’s aircraft type certification program.

The series of System Reviews focus on the aircraft’s overall architecture and ensure the company’s development process is on track to satisfy the FAA’s safety objectives associated with complex aircraft systems. In this case, it was an in-person, multi-day audit conducted at Joby’s facilities in Marina, California.

It’s also just one of the many steps of the certification process, which includes the ongoing submission of Means of Compliance, area-specific certification plans, and other certification documents that cover specific elements of the Joby aircraft and its systems.

During its third-quarter results in September, Joby announced that 84% of its Means of Compliance had been accepted by the FAA, with four area-specific certification plans submitted for approval. Earlier this year, Joby completed its first Systems and Compliance Reviews and carried out its first for-credit FAA conformity tests.

“Progress on certification is a key area of focus for this nascent sector, and we’re pleased to mark our continued leadership with the successful completion of our second System Review. We’re confident that our aircraft design is on track to meet the FAA’s expectations regarding system-level safety, redundancy, and overall aircraft architecture,” said Didier Papadopoulos, Head of Aircraft OEM at Joby. “We’re grateful to the FAA for their dedication to safety and deep engagement in our ongoing certification program.”

Joby is now much closer to certification after having obtained the initial Part 135 air carrier certificate back in May, enabling the company to operate a commercial air taxi service in the United States. It intends to certify its aircraft in time to commence commercial passenger service in 2025.