Joby Air Taxi in New York: Fly from Kennedy Airport to city ​​center in 7 minutes

American aviation company Joby Aviation made a landmark demonstration of its electric air taxi in New York. The innovative aircraft flew the route from John F. Kennedy International Airport to the helipad in midtown Manhattan in less than 10 minutes. This event marks the beginning of a new era of urban transport, where electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft will become an everyday solution for megacities.

Demonstration flight in New York

The test flight took place on April 27. The N545JX model was used for the demonstration. Joby representatives emphasize that this is the first time in the history of New York that the capabilities of eVTOL have been shown in the conditions of real urban infrastructure. Additional flights continue at various heliports in the city to fully test the integration into the existing airspace.

N545JX model features

The Joby aircraft is designed as an ecological and quiet alternative to classic helicopters. The main features of the model include zero operational emissions and a significantly reduced noise profile. According to the developers, the sound of a working Joby taxi is practically lost against the background of the usual city noise, which makes it ideal for use in dense residential buildings. The aircraft is equipped with a vertical take-off and landing system, which allows it to operate on existing helipads.

The main goal of Joby is the transformation of logistics in large cities. The company’s founder, Joben Bewirth, notes that the usual trip to Kennedy Airport, which during peak hours can take one to two hours by car, is reduced to a seven-minute flight with the N545JX. In the future, the company plans to make the service so accessible that the air taxi becomes a serious competitor to ground public and private transport.

Infrastructure and time to market

The demonstration was held under the active coordination of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. As part of the federal eVTOL integration program, the infrastructure of city heliports will be reequipped – modern charging stations for electric aircraft will be installed on them.

Joby is currently completing the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) certification process. It is expected that all formalities will be settled by the end of this year, after which the company will be able to start full commercial operation.

Should we expect a launch soon?

The company has already set the stage for scaling the business by relying on the previously acquired Blade Air Mobility passenger network. Support from the authorities and willingness of aviation regulators to meet innovation make the launch of an air taxi service in New York a matter of the coming year. Given the advantages in speed and environmental friendliness, Joby Aviation has every chance to become the first mass operator in this segment.