AirBear

Company will build flying taxi's at a facility near Wright-Patterson AFB:

https://apnews.com/article/joby-taxi...ternoon%20Wire

JohnBurke

We're gonna need a bigger NTSB.

In fairness, this pipe dream has been popular since the Jetsons.

TiredSoul

This is going to be the very next dumbest idea in Aviation.

rickair7777

I think it will have a niche, in busy metro areas, between major public infrastructures, ie downtown rooftops to big airports, maybe suburban car parks to downtown or airport.

They're too loud for ready acceptance by the public anywhere near residential areas and there's also the "visual pollution" aspect of having these things buzzing around like giant flies all the time.

Also whatever public safety perceptions come about, that will be a factor the first time one comes down hard on a grade school playground. In Europe the UAM industry adopted the same 10^-9 safety standard that 121 uses... but the US industry was trying to roll with a lower 10^-7 standard, inspired I suppose by stockton rush to eliminate wasteful spending on safety stuff. Not sure if they ultimately got forced to use 10^-9 ?

Part of the UAM economic model is of course just like rideshare: autonomy. That won't be happening anytime soon, so paying pilots is a another hurdle. I do think they will go autonomous long before airliners, it's a much simpler mission and call always land immediately in an emergency... basically like a car, pull over to the side of the ride.

Also these things will be heavily FBW automated, so I assume pilots can get by with a some sort of special UAM license, and not require a full helo or vertical lift CPL. Maybe they can employ people who are not traditional career track pilots. Or maybe it will serve as a time building avenue for entry-level pilots. Although if the UAM license is dumbed down, there should be limits on how much of that applies to a FW ATP.

With all that said, is the obvious niche big enough to make it all profitable and pay for the R&D? I kind of doubt it, I think they'll need wider acceptance and likely full autonomy to make the math work. Especially since there about a dozen of these designs hoping to compete for a slice of the market.

GogglesPisano

And to think I used to be under the impression that venture capitalists were smarter than the rest of us.

JamesNoBrakes

Remember when there were going to be dozens and dozens of different types of VLJs and all the crazy VLJ startups? Sure, there'll be air-taxis...but not nearly as many as are threatening right now.

Twin Wasp

Interesting how a revision to FARs 110 and 119 on September 15 changed from mentioning “airplanes” to “aircraft, including powered lift.”

JohnBurke

I'm trying to reconcile the image stuck in my head of a Pakistani taxi driver with a beaded seat cover and a plexi-glass don't-rob-me sneezeguard behind his seat, reciting the mantra, "starting engine number six..."

It's not working.

"Hello and to welcome you very much to this air taxi, I thank you for flying Khalid Airways, thank you very much. Please insert a credit card of your choice for the nine hundred dollar deposit and we shall be underway. Lifevests are under your seat and this is non-smoking unless one of our six, reliable electric motors catches fire, in which case feel free to smoke. It is pleasing to me if you would put on the seatbelt over you and to fasten, would you be so kind to wear until we come to complete stop or if we should crash, then you can exit and go far away, but please, leave your credit card behind. Please to know that driver carries no change and only a tuna sandwich and some very warm water, and kindly do not eat or drink in the Khalid Airways taxi without a dropcloth or some kind of small animal to consume the crumbs. I am pleased to tell you that we are not pressurized and to say to you that we do not have oxygen to drop down, so to please not look for it thank you very much. We go now."

"Starting engine number four. Oh, low battery. Pleased to know, we must stop for charge on the way. Only take a few minutes, if no Teslas. Thank you so much."

fasteddie800

Has Joby ever shared anything concrete about their plans to get from the prototype stage to full certification? Something beyond just a bunch of hand-waving and nebulous statements like: "Commercial flights start in 2025!"

rickair7777

I've been casually following the wild wild west of UAM, mainly because I read AW&ST, and they can't stop drooling over it.

Joby appears to be an actual contender to operate a certified aircraft. They have one certified by the USAF for a mil experimental program, and have achieved some level of FAA certification (I don't pretend to understand eVTOL certification, and I'm not sure the FAA does either). Several big brands have pledged large $ towards production and operations.

They acquired and operate a ASEL 135 certificate, so at least they're learning how that's supposed to work.

I think you could successfully operate such a business. What I don't know is if you can make any real money anytime soon, with economy of scale limited by where you'll be allowed to fly the things.