Why It Matters
Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft could transform urban transportation by cutting travel time between city centers and airports from hours to minutes. The technology promises quieter skies and zero operating emissions compared to traditional helicopters.
Idaho travelers flying through major hubs like New York could benefit from faster airport connections as the technology scales nationwide.
What Happened
Electric air taxi company Joby Aviation conducted demonstration flights between Manhattan and John F. Kennedy International Airport last week. The flights are part of a 10-day testing campaign under the Federal Aviation Administration’s electric vertical takeoff and landing integration pilot program.
The aircraft carries five people including a pilot. It lifts off vertically like a helicopter before tilting its propellers to fly forward. The company aims to connect Lower and Midtown Manhattan heliports to JFK in under 10 minutes, replacing drives that typically take one to two hours.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the region’s airports, is working with Joby to evaluate how the technology can serve passengers.
By the Numbers
5 passengers: Maximum capacity including one pilot per aircraft
10 minutes: Target flight time from Manhattan to JFK Airport
1 to 2 hours: Current drive time between the same locations
8 pilot programs: Selected by the US Department of Transportation for electric aircraft testing
5 stages: FAA certification process that Joby is working through
Zoom Out
The Federal Aviation Administration selected eight pilot programs in March to test electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft across multiple applications. Beyond urban air taxi services, the programs will evaluate regional passenger transportation, cargo delivery, emergency medical response, autonomous flight operations, and offshore energy sector transportation.
Joby Aviation is partnering with transportation departments in Texas, Utah, Florida, and North Carolina in addition to the Port Authority. The company also owns helicopter ride-share service Blade and maintains partnerships with Delta Air Lines and Uber.
The FAA published new rules for air taxis in 2024, moving the technology closer to commercial deployment. Data collected from pilot programs will inform regulations for scaling the technology nationwide.
What’s Next
Joby Aviation is in the final stages of FAA certification for its electric aircraft. The company must complete the agency’s five-stage approval process before beginning commercial passenger operations.
Testing will continue through this week in New York. The Department of Transportation expects the pilot programs to create one of the largest real-world testing environments for next-generation aircraft globally.
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