Joby Celebrates with First Piloted eVTOL Air Taxi Flight Between Public Airports

Joby Aviation has successfully conducted a flight between two U.S. airports, Marina (OAR) and Monterey (MRY), California, while operating within FAA-controlled airspace alongside other aircraft. This achievement marks a significant milestone in Joby's readiness for the commercial market, underscoring essential capabilities in safety, operations, air traffic control, and certification progress. It serves as a crucial indicator of the company's advancement towards commercialisation, as the flights showcased the type of real-world service Joby plans to offer to the public.

Joby's flight from OAR to MRY lasted approximately 12 minutes over a distance of 10 nautical miles, including a 5-minute hold pattern at MRY for air traffic spacing. The flight, operated by a pilot, featured vertical takeoff, transition to wingborne flight, integration into the controlled airspace around MRY, and vertical landing.

This milestone represents the first instance of a piloted electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi flying between two public airports. Additionally, the flight successfully demonstrated the team's capability to conduct mobile flight tests and provide comprehensive ground support operations away from their home base in Marina.

“Successfully flying from Marina to Monterey showcased operations of our aircraft integrated in the broader transportation network and further validated its performance to ensure we’re prepared for service on day one,” said Didier Papadopoulos, President of Aircraft OEM at Joby. “For years, our flight testing has validated our aircraft’s capabilities, and we’ve done this across a wide range of environmental conditions. As part of the natural progression of our flight test program, it was time to venture further, and there was no better place to visit first than our neighbours in Monterey.”

These crucial flight tests also provided developmental data concerning the human factors involved in operating the aircraft at a controlled airport and within the en route national airspace. Notably, Joby's capability to integrate into controlled airspace was demonstrated when its aircraft successfully sequenced with other aircraft at Monterey Airport, including executing a holding pattern to accommodate another arriving airliner. Joby's aircraft systems, pilot certification, and training were prominently showcased by adhering to the same air traffic control protocols as a major airline. This achievement marks a significant step in the company's certification efforts, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires aircraft to demonstrate their ability to operate in shared airspace by navigating between multiple airports.

Following Joby's planned acquisition of Blade Air Mobility's passenger business, the ongoing demonstration underscores the company's readiness for the commercial market. This milestone builds on Joby's extensive history of testing and development, which includes over 40,000 miles flown across its fleet. Joby has recently commenced the final assembly of its first aircraft intended for Type Inspection Authorisation flight testing, marking one of the final major steps in FAA certification. The company plans to initiate flight testing with FAA pilots early next year. Upon certification, Joby intends to launch domestic commercial service, beginning in Los Angeles and New York City.