Joby completes first piloted flight between two airports

Photo courtesy of Joby Aviation

Joby Aviation Inc, a developer of all-electric air taxis for commercial passenger service, operated with other aircraft in FAA-controlled airspace when completing its first flight between two US airports — Marina (OAR) and Monterey (MRY), California. Joby said this flight marked a major step as part of the company’s commercial market readiness by ‘highlighting key capabilities across safety, operations, air traffic control and certification progress’.

Joby’s flight time from OAR to MRY — a distance of 10 nautical miles — was about 12min, including 5min in a hold pattern at MRY for air traffic spacing. The piloted flight included vertical take-off, transition to wing-borne flight, integration into the controlled airspace around MRY, and vertical landing. The flight marked the first time a piloted electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxi has flown from one public airport to another.

Didier Papadopoulos, Joby’s president of aircraft OEM, said: “Successfully flying from Marina to Monterey highlighted operations of our aircraft integrated in the broader transportation network and further validated its performance to ensure we are prepared for service on day one. For years, our flight testing has validated our aircraft’s capabilities, and we have done this across a wide range of environmental conditions. As part of the natural progression of our flight test programme, it was time to venture further — hence the trip to our neighbours in Monterey.

“These flight tests also provided developmental data related to the human factors of operating the aircraft at a controlled airport and in the enroute national airspace. Joby’s aircraft systems, pilot certification and training were on full display by adhering to the same air traffic control protocols as a major airline. This is also an important step in the company’s certification efforts, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires aircraft to demonstrate they can operate in shared airspace by flying between multiple airports.”