FAA approves Joby’s propulsion certification plan

The FAA  has accepted Joby’s certification plan for its propulsion system, marking an approved path across its certification programme, according to Didier Papadopoulos, president of Aircraft OEM.

 The accepted certification plan – covering the electric propulsion unit, propeller system, variable pitch actuation, coolant pump, nacelles and associated electrical wiring – clearly defines a route to certifying the systems for commercial passenger flights, said Joby.

“We now have an approved path across our certification program for all of the structural, mechanical, and electrical systems of our aircraft,” said Papadopoulos. “This sets the stage for our team to execute against that path with a well-defined approach to for-credit testing and analysis as we continue to lead the industry towards certifying an electric air taxi with the FAA.” 

With all but one certification plan accepted and the final document currently under FAA review, Joby said it is nearing completion of the third of five phases of the type certification process. Shifting focus to the fourth stage, this section will consist of detailed testing and analysis across the aircraft’s components and systems.

Last year Joby completed 30 for-credit tests with the FAA. It said the testing methods and processes validated through those operations now form the basis for continued for-credit testing throughout 2024.

The firm also recently received its Part 145 Maintenance Certificate from the FAA this week alongside eVTOL rival Archer. Joby said the certificate enables it to perform “select maintenance activities on the aircraft” – another important step towards commercialising.