Joby Aviation has achieved what it calls a “landmark moment” in its test campaign, completing piloted transition flights – from vertical flight to forward cruise and back again – of its electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft on multiple occasions.
Taking place from its test facility in Marina, California using the company’s newest aircraft (N544JX), the first crewed transition flight was performed on 22 April with chief test pilot James Denham at the controls.
“The aircraft flew exactly as expected, with excellent handling qualities and low pilot workload,” says Denham.
It has since carried out “multiple transition flights with three different pilots at the controls”, the developer says, an industry first.
Joby in 2017 conducted remotely piloted transition flights using a full-scale prototype.
Didier Papadopolous, president of aircraft OEM at Joby, says the successful testing “demonstrates the high level of confidence we have in the performance of the aircraft as we prepare for commercial service in Dubai” - a milestone expected later this year.
Joby says it “remains on track” to deliver an aircraft to Dubai by mid-year “to complete flight testing ahead of first passenger flights in the region”.
In addition, Papadopolous says the transition testing “paves the way” for the start of US Federal Aviation Administration Type Inspection Authorization flights with the agency’s pilots on board, a crucial step in the certification process.
Ahead of the piloted transition flights, Joby carried out extensive ground testing of the aircraft’s hardware in its Integrated Test Lab, alongside a series of remotely-piloted flight tests at Edwards AFB designed to simulate critical failures such as motor- or battery-out events.
“In all cases, the aircraft performed as expected, enabling Joby pilots to continue safe flight and a controlled, vertical landing, even when relying on just four of the aircraft’s six propellers,” it says.
Joby has five aircraft in its flight test fleet, with two at Edwards for testing in conjunction with its US defence customers.
