Joby Aviation Commences Final Testing Phase for eVTOL Certification
Joby Aviation has achieved a significant landmark in its journey towards commercialization. The company has initiated power-on testing for its first FAA-conforming aircraft for Type Inspection Authorization (TIA). This signifies the final phase of the FAA Type Certification process for the company’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxi.
This accomplishment paves the way for Joby to commence thousands of hardware and software integration tests. These tests are in preparation for “for credit” flight testing with FAA test pilots at the controls of the aircraft. Didier Papadopoulos, President of Aircraft OEM at Joby, hailed this as “the culmination of more than a decade of focused engineering and certification refinements.”
The TIA phase authenticates operational procedures that will regulate Joby’s commercial service. These procedures include maintenance manuals, pilot training curriculum, and verification of all onboard systems such as avionics, propulsion, and redundancies. Each TIA aircraft is constructed with FAA-conforming components as mandated by FAA-approved test plans. Flight testing by Joby pilots is anticipated to commence later this year.
Source: Joby Aviation