Joby Aviation, a leading company in developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, announced today the receipt of a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its first aircraft produced at the Pilot Production Line in Marina, California. This certificate enables Joby to initiate flight testing for its first production prototype, marking a significant milestone in the company's journey towards FAA certification and large-scale production.
With plans to deliver the aircraft to a customer in 2024, Joby is poised to become the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft provider to do so. The aircraft will be stationed at Edwards Air Force Base as part of Joby's Agility Prime contract with the U.S. Air Force, valued at up to $131 million.
Having already achieved a number of milestones, including flying full-size aircraft since 2017 and accumulating over 30,000 miles with pre-production prototypes, Joby's production prototype further solidifies its commitment to obtaining FAA certification and advancing production capabilities.
JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby, expressed his pride in reaching this milestone and acknowledged the dedication of the Joby team and the invaluable support from Toyota. The company's partnership with Toyota, along with their investment of approximately $400 million in Joby, has been instrumental in propelling Joby's progress in the aviation industry.
“We’re proud to have launched production in our home state of California. I’m incredibly grateful to the Joby team for their commitment to ensuring Joby remains the clear leader in this new sector and to Toyota for sharing their knowledge and experience with us over many years. Their support has been indispensable in helping us reach this point,” commented JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby.
The significance of Joby's achievement was recognized by California Governor Gavin Newsom during his visit to Joby's facilities. Governor Newsom praised Joby for their innovation in zero-emission aviation and emphasized the importance of private sector advancements in achieving climate action goals while fostering job creation.
“California is proud to be home to some of the world’s most innovative companies. Joby is changing the game when it comes to the next frontier of flight: zero emission aviation,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “Our world-leading climate action relies on the technological advances and pioneering spirit of the private sector. Creating jobs and cutting pollution — that’s the California way.”
As part of the celebration of production launch, Tetsuo "Ted" Ogawa, President and CEO of Toyota Motor North America, will join over 1,000 guests and team members at Joby's Marina facility. Highlighting Toyota's involvement in the design and production of Joby's Pilot Production Line, Ogawa expressed his congratulations to Joby and the anticipation of closer collaboration as Joby gears up for scaled production and operational readiness.
Joby's production prototype aircraft has been meticulously manufactured in adherence to the released design and a comprehensive implementation of a quality management system, bringing them one step closer to securing the FAA type certification required for commercial passenger operations.
With commercial passenger operations scheduled to commence in 2025, Joby has recently partnered with Delta Air Lines to offer seamless, emissions-free travel for Delta customers. The collaboration aims to deliver a sustainable future of travel while prioritizing an exceptional customer experience.
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