Company Says It's On Track for 2024 Commercial Rollout

Joby Aviation, has continued their increased flight testing pace established at the outset of the year, moving on to conformity testing on the way to full type certification for its eVTOL aircraft.

Joby recently received its special airworthiness certificate and USAF approval for its prototypes, adding a second demonstrator as they look to pick up speed and get their product to market. The company has its hands full between the sustainable air taxi race and their Agility Prime USAF contract, but things seem to be moving apace exactly as intended. Earlier this year, JoeBen Bevirt, CEO, said he anticipated FAA certification in time for commercial operations in 2024.

Joby's conformity testing has been carried out under the supervision and documentation of an FAA Designated Engineering Representative at Toray Advanced Composites USA’s facility in Morgan Hill, CA. The testing evaluates the material strength of the aerostructure of the aircraft, which will form the basis of future expectations of the airframe's strength throughout the following evaluation of the design. Each system and structure of the Joby will go through its own conformity testing to ensure it meets requirements for the category, as well as establish baseline data that could eventually act as a benchmark for certain elements of the aircraft during repair or modification in the far future. 

“After years of development and company testing, we’re excited to formally begin the process of conformity testing. We began engaging with the FAA in 2015 to lay the groundwork for certification of our aircraft, and today we move closer to bringing fast, clean and convenient aerial ridesharing to the world," said Bevirt. 

“Entering this stage of testing demonstrates that we’re capable of manufacturing composite parts in accordance with their design, our quality system is capable of producing conforming composite parts for the aircraft, and that we have the requisite traceability and design verification processes in place to progress toward our type and production certifications,” said Lina Spross, quality and supply chain lead at Joby.

FMI: www.jobyaviation.com