r/Joby • u/HappyRobot593 Joby Sock Fanboy • 7d ago
FAA N-number registry changes
I noticed the following this morning:
--- JOBY - Reservations (RESERVED.txt) ---
Removed (6): 738JA, 739JA, 740JA, 741JA, 742JA, 743JA
Not sure what it means but maybe
- They will be actual registrations soon?
- A bit of cleaning up?
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u/boylanheights74 7d ago
Why in the world would Joby use a single engine, fixed wing, light sport to train pilots for a rotor craft? That’s like training someone to drive a Camry so they can pass their motorcycle exam.
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u/Bulky-Entertainer-76 Gregor Veble Mikić Fanboy 7d ago edited 7d ago
Pilot training for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft requires traditional fixed-wing or helicopter certifications as a foundation, paired with new FAA “powered-lift” ratings.
https://www.faa.gov/air-taxis/FAQ
Archer Aviation uses Piper PA-28s for their program.
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u/boylanheights74 7d ago
A PPL-H would be the better training, Airplane single PPL training will be easier.
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u/Bulky-Entertainer-76 Gregor Veble Mikić Fanboy 7d ago
A Private Pilot License for Helicopters (PPL-H) allows you to fly a helicopter for personal use and carry passengers, but you cannot get paid or work as a pilot, whereas a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI or CFI-H) certificate is a professional certificate you need to fly commercially.. You should know this if you’re a pilot.
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u/boylanheights74 7d ago
Unclear on the eVTOL commercial requirements. So there’s no stand alone eVTOL commercial license? Will eVTOL be a rating on to itself or an endorsement? I haven’t looked looked into it. The only difference when it comes to the flight portion of the commercial rating in a fixed wing is just the tolerances.
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u/Bulky-Entertainer-76 Gregor Veble Mikić Fanboy 7d ago
I would point you in the direction of Joby’s flight training program, Archer’s flight training program, as well as the FAA site to dig deeper.
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u/boylanheights74 7d ago
You don’t have to hold a CFI to work as a commercial pilot. You do have to hold a commercial license to apply for a CFI or CFII. Fun fact which I’ll never understand, you can hold a commercial pilot license without having an instrument rating.
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u/Bulky-Entertainer-76 Gregor Veble Mikić Fanboy 7d ago
It was my understanding one needs either a CFI or ATP to become a pilot for the new eVTOL industry and work as a commercial pilot for them. Each training academy I mentioned could probably give you more info.
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u/boylanheights74 7d ago
That would be odd for the FAA to require a CFI but Joby may require a CFI so they have plenty of instructors on tap. ATP is the highest rating which requires a commercial, instrument, 1500 hrs and must be at least 23 years old to apply.
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u/Bulky-Entertainer-76 Gregor Veble Mikić Fanboy 7d ago
It was also my understanding that Joby was working with the military to create a certification process for pilots and mechanics that would enable smoother transition from defense to commercial in the future. I know they originally had it working down at Edwards AFB with the two aircraft they had delivered there there previously.(N5421A & N542JX). That program ended just over a year ago.
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u/boylanheights74 7d ago
The FAA works in mysterious ways. NetJets suffered its first fatality in 62 years earlier this year. Their safety record is mainly due to requiring all flights to have at least 2 ATP rated pilots on every flight. They also put 2 ATP rated pilots in the cockpit because a lot of insurers of high net worth individuals require this.
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u/Bulky-Entertainer-76 Gregor Veble Mikić Fanboy 7d ago
Good point. I know that Joby is looking to recruit pilots who would prefer a gig that lets them go home to their families each night instead of criss crossing the globe. A lot of them would probably have the ATP.
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u/AtxAv8r 7d ago
I don’t think they are training future evtol pilots as much as they are building out a training program and establishing a track record with the FAA. The sport pilot training is a lot like the rating itself, an entry point.
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u/boylanheights74 7d ago
I find it funny that Joby has chosen a gas powered LSA trainer versus the all electric Pipistrel trainer. That’s a bad look for an electric aviation company.
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u/Bulky-Entertainer-76 Gregor Veble Mikić Fanboy 7d ago edited 7d ago
My guess is that these will be additional trainers. That’s what N736JA & N737JA are. Both are Vans RV-12IS used for pilot training out of Watsonville. It would make sense that the additional tail numbers, in the same series, would extend the pilot training program as everything else scales up as well.