Joby Aviation completes first eVTOL flight between U.S. airports

Questions and answers: 

What milestone did Joby Aviation achieve? Joby Aviation completed its first piloted eVTOL flight between two public airports in the U.S., Marina and Monterey, California, operating safely in FAA-controlled airspace.

What were the key technical aspects of the flight? The flight included vertical takeoff, transition to wingborne flight, controlled airspace integration, vertical landing, and a five-minute hold pattern at Monterey for air traffic sequencing.

How does this flight advance Joby’s certification and commercial readiness? The flight demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to operate alongside other traffic, collect operational data, and comply with FAA protocols, supporting the company’s ongoing Type Inspection Authorization flight testing.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - Joby Aviation Inc. in Santa Cruz, Calif., a developer of all-electric air taxis, completed its first piloted flight between two U.S. airports, Marina (OAR) and Monterey (MRY), both in California, successfully operating in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-controlled airspace. The roughly 12-minute flight over 10 nautical miles included five minutes in a hold pattern at Monterey to maintain air traffic spacing. The milestone, according to Joby, marks the first time a piloted electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi has flown between two public airports.

The flight included vertical takeoff, transition to wingborne flight, integration into controlled airspace around Monterey, and vertical landing. Joby used the operation to validate the aircraft’s performance under real-world conditions and collect developmental data on human factors for operating at controlled airports and in en route national airspace. The aircraft successfully sequenced with other traffic, including holding to accommodate an arriving airliner, while pilots adhered to standard FAA protocols. 

Related: Joby starts testing eVTOL structures with FAA

Future plans

In addition to operational validation, the flights demonstrated Joby’s ability to conduct mobile flight tests and provide full ground support operations away from its home base in Marina. The milestone also supports the company’s ongoing certification efforts, as the FAA requires eVTOL aircraft to demonstrate safe operations in shared airspace and between multiple airports.

The demonstration follows Joby’s planned acquisition of Blade Air Mobility’s passenger business and builds on more than 40,000 miles flown across its fleet. Joby recently began final assembly of its first aircraft for Type Inspection Authorization flight testing, one of the last major steps in FAA certification. The company plans to begin flight testing with FAA pilots early next year, with commercial service expected to launch in Los Angeles and New York City following certification.