FAA issues Joby eVTOL air taxi-airworthiness criteria

Less than a week after it announced the postponement of its planned 2024 launch of air taxi services due in part to expected delays in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines on craft certification, Joby has received the regulator’s proposed airworthiness criteria for its electric takeoff and landing planes (eVTOL).

Late Monday the FAA released its proposal titled, “Special Class Airworthiness Criteria for the Joby Aero, Inc.,” laying out requirements for the company’s eVTOL air taxis to be approved for commercial operation. Those details are now open to comments or queries by the public or sector players, but are expected to mostly or entirely make up the final document. 

That publication came just four working days after Joby officials told investors they’d decided to postpone the anticipated launch of air taxi services until 2025, due in part to the likelihood of the FAA not issuing rules on eVTOL craft until “late 2024.”…