New York City witnessed a groundbreaking event as Joby Aviation successfully conducted the first-ever electric air taxi flight in a bustling urban setting. The demonstration flight showcased Joby’s cutting-edge aircraft, which is designed for rapid, back-to-back flights and possesses the capability to cover up to 100 miles on a single charge. This remarkable range encompasses 99 percent of all trips typically taken across New York City’s five boroughs.
The electric air taxi took off from the iconic Downtown Heliport in Manhattan, NY, and coincided with the announcement made by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, expressing the city’s commitment to electrifying the heliport. By doing so, New York is setting the stage to become a global leader in adopting clean and quiet flight technologies.
Prior to the Manhattan flight, Joby conducted several days of preparation flights at the HHI Heliport in Kearny, New Jersey, to ensure a smooth and successful showcase in New York City.
Joby Aviation, a company at the forefront of developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for commercial passenger service, envisions making quiet and emissions-free flight an affordable and everyday reality for New Yorkers. Their collaboration with visionary partners like Delta Air Lines plays a vital role in bringing their air taxi service to this market.
In fact, through their partnership with Delta, Joby has already identified New York as one of its early launch markets once it receives certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This certification will pave the way for Joby’s electric air taxis to transform transportation in the city.
Commuting from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) can be a time-consuming journey by car, spanning over an hour. However, Joby expects their electric air taxis to complete this trip in a mere seven minutes, revolutionizing the way people travel.
As Joby and Delta collaborate closely on this initiative, they are also working with the Port Authority of New York and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to plan for initial operations. This includes the development of necessary infrastructure at JFK and LaGuardia International Airport (LGA).
Considering the significant impact that noise pollution from helicopters has on the city, Joby’s electric air taxis aim to reduce this disturbance by a considerable margin. To put it into perspective, in 2022, Joby collaborated with NASA to measure the sound emitted by their aircraft. The result was an equivalent of only 45.2 A-weighted decibels (dBA) when flying overhead at an altitude of 1,640 feet (500 meters)—quieter than an average conversation.
Joby’s dedication and progress in the field of electric air taxis are reflected in their extensive testing. Having flown over 30,000 miles with their full-scale prototype eVTOL aircraft since 2017, Joby continues to innovate and push the boundaries of clean and efficient air transportation.
Through their achievements, Joby Aviation and their partners are paving the way toward a greener, quieter, and more efficient future for air travel. With New York City’s ambitious plans to embrace clean flight technologies, this groundbreaking demonstration is just the beginning of a revolution that holds immense promise for the transportation industry.
