Joby Aviation aiming for public flight
In January 2010, Joby Aviation submitted an application to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) to use radio waves for a test flight in the San Francisco Bay Area. The flight route of S4 is a flight (2 routes) that overlooks tourist spots such as Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and Baberich, and if realized, it will be a public flight that will be widely seen by the general public.
For the company, which aims for commercial services in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco from 2024, public flights in its hometown of San Francisco will be an important event to gain the understanding and support of local residents. However, the public flight seems to have just begun to coordinate with federal agencies, state governments, and local governments.
The company's production model 1 Joby S4 has repeated test flights around Santa Cruz, California, achieving a longest flight distance of 155 miles (250 km) and a maximum speed of 205 mph (330 km / h) in July last year, as well as an altitude of 7,000 feet (about 7,000 feet). I have recently made a flight over 2.1km).
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S4 is an eVTOL that flies a short distance in the city. These types are generally expected to operate at 900 m or less from the surface of the earth. Therefore, attention is focused on the S4's test flight of 7,000 feet.
It is presumed that this is required to fly at the same altitude in the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) aircraft certification examination. Whether the FAA is supposed to wait or invade at the same altitude when taking off and landing at the airport, is it supposed to be in a mountainous area, or is it seeking proof for the time being due to the US Aviation Law? The reason is presumed.
In any case, there is no doubt that the test flight repeated by S4 is a full-scale content with an eye on commercialization.
1 In the development of aircraft, multiple test aircraft (various names such as demonstrator and prototype) are manufactured for technological development and functional demonstration, and test flights are repeated. And the finished model that is finally put on the production line is called a production model.