Joby’s aircraft undergoes major FAA aerostructure tests

Joby Aviation has completed a series of major aerostructure tests for certification credit with the FAA.

The company reported successfully completing static load testing of the tail structure. The tests took place in Santa Cruz, CA, as part of a testing campaign covering all of the structures, components and systems on the aircraft. All of which will feed into the US regulator’s type certification of the aircraft.

The test marks the first time Joby has tested a major aerostructure of its aircraft for-credit with the FAA present.

Didier Papadopoulos, president of Aircraft OEM at Joby said: “Completing for-credit static load testing on a major aircraft structure marks an important step towards certification of the Joby aircraft and we’re very pleased with the results. Reaching this milestone is the culmination of years of hard work across the engineering, testing, certification, and manufacturing teams at Joby.”

During the tests, Joby engineers applied loads to the aircraft’s tail structure that far exceed the maximum forces the structure is expected to experience during flight. 

The FAA-conforming tail structure used in the test, along with the test procedure, instrumentation and applied loads, are outlined in Joby’s already-approved certification documents.

“Our vertically-integrated approach to aircraft development gives us the capability to design, build, and test entire aerostructures in-house, providing Joby with a strong foundation to rapidly and efficiently continue to bring innovative technologies to market,” Papadopoulos added.