The Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate is the first FAA approval Joby needs to operate their electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft as an air taxi. The Joby Aviation Part 135 certificate allows the company to operate as an air carrier: the vehicles, new to market, will also require a Type Certificate and a Production Certificate to carry passengers. Joby says that they are targeting Type Certification for 2023, “with Production Certification soon to follow.”
Bonny Simi, Head of Air Operations and People at Joby, and one of the Company’s FAA-approved pilots, stated: “The procedures we’ve prepared lay a foundation for our future eVTOL operations. Over the coming months, we will use our Part 135 certificate to exercise the operations and customer technology platforms that will underpin our multi-modal ridesharing service, while also refining our procedures to ensure seamless journeys for our customers.”
“Receiving this certificate ahead of schedule is a testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of our team,” added Simi.
While the certification process moves forward, Joby is getting ready to develop their workforce. “Pilots for the Company’s future aerial ridesharing service, expected to launch in 2024, will have the benefit of flying an environmentally-friendly aircraft on a reliable work schedule, ending each shift in their home city,” says the company.