Hands On: Flying the Joby Simulator

AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber trying out the fly-by-wire flight controls in Joby's eVTOL simulator.

Article in AIN Online, written by Matt Thurber 02DEC2021

Much of what Joby Aviation does is secret, hidden in a valley surrounded by steep mountains near Santa Cruz, California. But, especially in the wake of the company's recent New York Stock Exchange flotation, more details about Joby’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are being revealed, and the company has been sharing more videos of the aircraft flying, including demonstrations of its amazingly low noise levels.

In fact, according to Joby—whose founder, JoeBen Bevirt, has been at this since 2009—FAA certification of its four-passenger aircraft is well underway and on track for 2023, which would be five years after Joby applied for type certification. The first conforming Joby aircraft while a second test aircraft should fly soon, if it hasn’t already. Joby has locked down the certification basis for its aircraft, and it will be certified under the regulatory framework in Part 23 of the FAA regulations.