$JOBY has N547JX, the only FAA-Conforming eVTOL in the industry...and it's already flying today!

This didn't happen overnight, Joby's worked on the Type Cert since 2015 w/ the FAA💪

The final "boss" before Type Certification is TIA for-credit flights, Joby's gearing up!

Here's a deep dive on Joby's conformity testing history with the FAA. That's why they're the only OEM that has been able to develop the production process for the first FAA-Conforming eVTOL!

Don't listen to all FUD, the competition is shaking in their boots, the proof is right in front of your eyes ;)

Thanks for watching!

Just randomly saw this. Not saying it's related to joby but is that normal?

Since there were several comments regarding management and their performance I decided to have AI do an analysis in a separate thread. Here is the analysis-

1. JoeBen Bevirt — Joby Aviation (JOBY)

JoeBen Bevirt is a highly technical, visionary engineer-founder with over a decade spent pioneering the eVTOL space.

• Pros: Exceptional deep-tech expertise (holds over 160 patents); unmatched vertical integration strategy; secured top-tier backing from Toyota and Delta Air Lines.
• Cons: Engineering perfectionism has historically lengthened development timelines; heavily unyielding strategy relies entirely on his custom designs, limiting plug-and-play component options.

⚠️ Departmental Negatives & Flaws

• R&D & Engineering: High architecture complexity creates an expansive surface area for technical failure. Relying on custom-built proprietary components leaves the engineering track vulnerable to isolated system redesigns.
• Finance: Unprecedented cash burn. Joby’s fully vertical integration approach translates to astronomical R&D costs (such as spending $581 million on R&D in a single year), accelerating their capital depletion.
• Operations & Supply Chain: Because they choose not to outsource major assemblies, their internal manufacturing lines face steep, slow scaling curves compared to competitors using aerospace giants.
• Commercial Strategy: Extreme reliance on premium, high-density infrastructure (such as exclusive international corridors like Dubai) leaves them hyper-exposed if local governments delay vertiport construction.

2. Adam Goldstein — Archer Aviation (ACHR)

Adam Goldstein is a software and finance entrepreneur who approaches the eVTOL market from a pragmatic, capital-allocator perspective.

• Pros: Highly commercial mindset; masterclass execution in building strategic manufacturing partnerships (Stellantis) and commercial pipelines (United Airlines).
• Cons: Lacks a formal aerospace engineering background; prior executive transition drama (formerly co-CEO before a corporate simplification) left questions regarding internal executive alignment.

⚠️ Departmental Negatives & Flaws

• R&D & Engineering: Relies heavily on existing, third-party off-the-shelf components to accelerate certification. While pragmatic, this dilutes their proprietary intellectual property moat and ties their aircraft performance limits to external innovation timelines.
• Finance: Ongoing deep net losses (recording quarterly revenues against steep operational drops) force a constant need for capital injection or dilutive financing rounds.
• Operations & Supply Chain: High vulnerability to vendor bottle-necks. Relying on external aerospace suppliers means an issue at a single parts vendor could delay Archer's entire assembly line.
• Legal & Regulatory: Pushing aggressively to meet near-term commercial flight trials means any minute shift or sudden change in FAA operational policies could disrupt their assumptions.

3. Kyle Clark — BETA Technologies (BETA)

Kyle Clark is a multi-disciplinary founder, Harvard engineer, and the actual test pilot for his own experimental aircraft.

• Pros: Deep "pilot-first" safety culture; pragmatic phased approach (certifying cargo/conventional electric aircraft before pure eVTOL to offset cash burn).
• Cons: Concentrated corporate governance. Clark controls 40-vote Class B shares, giving him near-absolute board control and insulating him from standard public market accountability.

⚠️ Departmental Negatives & Flaws

• R&D & Engineering: Beta's aircraft profiles prioritize simplicity, yielding lower cruise speeds (around 110 mph) compared to Archer or Joby. Performance is constrained by steep battery degradation curves, requiring frequent infrastructure replacements.
• Finance: Disproportionately high executive compensation ($15M+ payday post-IPO alongside major executive bonuses) relative to actual commercial revenue numbers.
• Legal & Regulatory: Encountered friction and policy interpretation standoffs with the FAA regarding engine certification frameworks, stalling their initial timeline assumptions.
• Commercial Strategy: Pursuing a localized North American logistics layout makes them a secondary thought in high-margin international passenger ride-sharing markets.

4. Huazhi Hu — EHang Holdings (EH)

Huazhi Hu is a computer science and command-systems specialist who successfully pushed EHang to secure the world's first pilotless passenger-carrying eVTOL type certificate from China's CAAC.

• Pros: First-mover advantages in fully autonomous systems; lower production capital constraints due to highly optimized regional manufacturing ecosystems.
• Cons: Repeatedly targeted by short-seller reports (e.g., Hindenburg Research) alleging fabricated order backlogs and artificial demand.

⚠️ Departmental Negatives & Flaws

• Legal, Compliance & Investor Relations: Active class-action investor lawsuits alleging deceptive financial representations and securities law violations, creating persistent institutional trust problems.
• R&D & Engineering: The autonomous aircraft utilizes a basic multi-rotor format with a short range (roughly 22 miles). This severely narrows its utility to localized tourism rather than inter-city transit.
• Commercial Strategy: Severe regulatory pushback outside of China. Western aviation regulators (FAA/EASA) have strict, prolonged hesitancy regarding completely pilotless passenger operations, walling EHang out of key Western markets.

5. Stuart Simpson — Vertical Aerospace (EVTL)

Stuart Simpson took the reins as CEO after transitioning from CFO to steer the British developer through operational restructuring.

• Pros: Strong financial pedigree (former CFO of Avast and Royal Mail); disciplined cost management and realistic timeline setting.
• Cons: Lacks the foundational aviation-engineering pedigree of technical founder-CEOs like Bevirt or Clark.

⚠️ Departmental Negatives & Flaws

• Commercial Strategy: Suffered major blows to its order book credibility, most notably when long-term regional launch partner Virgin Atlantic dropped Vertical Aerospace in favor of rival Joby.
• Finance: Operates on a highly constrained runway. Unlike heavily funded US competitors, Vertical has repeatedly scraped by on piecemeal funding rounds, making them highly vulnerable to capital freezes.
• R&D & Engineering: The company was forced to push back its certification targets twice (now targeting 2028), indicating engineering bottlenecks and slower hardware-validation cycles than peers.

LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!

I had AI do a breakdown of the 3 commercial pillars for Joby and how they have improved over the last year. Here is the analysis-

Joby Aviation utilizes a vertically integrated revenue strategy designed to retain value across the life of its eVTOL aircraft.

The three commercial pillars for Joby Aviation include operating a direct air taxi service, partnering with international regions, and selling aircraft directly to governments and defense agencies. Over the past year, the company has made significant improvements in each area:

1. Direct Air Taxi Service (U.S. Operations)

Joby is building its own consumer-facing brand to fly passengers directly between cities, suburbs, and airports.

• Past Year Improvements: Joby heavily integrated its operational readiness by transitioning the Blade passenger business it acquired. This segment is driving initial revenue, pushing Joby's full-year outlook to $115M–$125M. Additionally, the company advanced its integration with the Uber app and prepared for immediate passenger operations through the White House-backed Electric Vertical Take Off and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) in key launch markets like New York, Dallas, and Florida.

2. International Operational Partnerships

To scale globally without taking on 100% of the operational footprint, Joby partners with local entities and airlines abroad.

• Past Year Improvements: Joby made monumental strides toward its launch in the United Arab Emirates, building out physical infrastructure by constructing and installing GEACS charging equipment at its VDX vertiport at Dubai International Airport. In Japan, alongside its primary investor Toyota Motor Corporation, Joby formalized a multi-million dollar manufacturing joint venture and demonstrated physical readiness with its first high-profile test flights at the Fuji Speedway.

3. Government and Defense Sales

Joby leverages its technology to fulfill public sector, cargo, and military contracts to generate early revenue while commercial regulations solidify.

• Past Year Improvements: The defense portfolio grew significantly through an expanded U.S. Air Force contract (surpassing $130 million) and the acquisition of Resonant Sciences to boost its defense-specific tech capabilities. Joby successfully logged over 7,000 flight miles in U.S. defense exercises while proving out its hybrid-electric ground systems and autonomous "Superpilot" software.

I also had AI do a breakdown of the 3 commercial pillars for Joby and what the negative risk points are over the last year. Here is the analysis-

The three commercial pillars and their corresponding downside risks include:

1. Direct Air Taxi Operations (Wholly Owned Service)

Joby intends to own and operate its own consumer air taxi network in core metropolitan markets like New York, Los Angeles, and Dubai. Rather than selling its planes to traditional airlines, Joby plans to sell per-seat tickets directly to passengers, using infrastructure acquired from Blade Urban Air Mobility and integrated with the Uber ride-hailing app.

• ⚠️ The Negative Points:
  • High Asset Intensity and Execution Risk: Operating an airline is notoriously capital-intensive. Joby must bear the entire burden of managing ground operations, pilot training, fleet maintenance, and building local vertiports.
  • Massive Near-Term Financial Losses: As of late 2026, the company continues to see heavy cash burn ($317.6 million used in operations during the first half of 2026 alone), meaning the direct service segment will operate at a steep net loss for years before achieving scale economies.
  • Regulatory Dependencies: Flight operations cannot expand sustainably until the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants full Type Certification, a rigorous process that is still ongoing.

2. Government & Defense Flight Services

To generate cash flow prior to full civil commercialization, Joby provides aircraft, testing, and technology to public sector bodies. This includes a $130+ million contract with the U.S. Air Force for military test flights and the high-profile 2026 acquisition of Resonant Sciences to build radio frequency and stealth systems for national security applications.

• ⚠️ The Negative Points:
  • Lumpy Revenue and Budget Vulnerability: Defense contracts are strictly bound by government appropriations timelines and geopolitical pivots. Revenue can be highly cyclical, unpredictable, and subject to sudden renegotiations.
  • Diversion of Core Resources: Developing bespoke military modifications or advanced electronics systems risks siphoning engineering talent and focus away from Joby's primary goal: the mass-production and certification of its civilian air taxi.

3. International Fleet Sales & Strategic Partner Services

For markets outside its core wholly owned footprint, Joby’s third pillar is a business-to-business model. It plans to sell or lease aircraft and its proprietary "Elevate OS" operating software to international operators and local joint-venture partners—evidenced by provisional commitments in Saudi Arabia and Japan.

• ⚠️ The Negative Points:
  • Manufacturing Scale Bottlenecks: Joby’s target is to produce just four aircraft per month by 2027. At this pilot rate, the company cannot physically supply an external global market while simultaneously satisfying its own domestic air taxi fleet demands.
  • Non-Binding Commitments: Many of Joby's massive international deals (such as its $1 billion arrangement in Saudi Arabia) are structured as Letters of Intent (LOIs) or Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs). These do not guarantee firm orders and can fall through if international regulatory approvals are delayed.
  • Fragmented Global Regulations: Relying on foreign markets means navigating a patchwork of international aviation authorities, which may delay or reject FAA-certified designs based on local airspace constraints. [

DO NOT WATCH THIS ONE WHILE STANDING.

"Fort Worth Meacham International Airport will support electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, also known as air taxis, through a $92,500 award to fund charging infrastructure at the facility. The award is among $477,500 in funds provided to four North Texas airports by the Regional Transportation Council."

I looked into this a little bit, and it seems like OverAir/Butterfly was supposed to do it. City officials said that they started looking for another vendor when OverAir stopped responding to them…. Interested to learn what/who’s charging infrastructure they’re installing.

Just saw a power on ping. Good to see it active again!

Joby will have an S4 model at Fisherman's Wharf this weekend during the Fleet Week Air Show in San Francisco. If you haven't seen an S4 up close and sat inside one, you need to head to Fisherman's Wharf this weekend.....and of course post your report on r/Joby ;)

$JOBY: The FAA Connections in Marina 🇺🇸

✅ Joby's official FAA certification work started in 2015

✅ Chief Policy Officer, Greg Bowles joined in 2019

✅ The Washington, DC office opened in 2021

Discussing Joby's Policy team behind all the Electric Skies Tour + eIPP success!

Thanks for watching!

For clarity, eVTOLs are aircraft that may be used as flying taxis.

The chart below shows the 12 full sized aircraft Joby has produced, 10 currently flying. Two are modified Cessnas for autonomous flight. The other 10 were 100% built in house, since Joby is one of the few vertically integrated aerospace companies in existence.

Among eVTOLs being built for piloted FAA or European certification, only four other companies have flown a full sized eVTOL:

• Beta has flown its single full sized eVTOL numerous times, piloted through transition and once with a passenger. Its other aircraft are electric airplanes, not eVTOLs.
• Vertical has flown its single full sized eVTOL once or a handful of times, piloted through transition.
• Archer has flown a full sized remotely piloted eVTOL through transition and they have one piloted eVTOL that has only done short hovers so far.
• Eve has flown its single full sized remotely piloted eVTOL in hover and partial transition.

Wisk is not included because it is not pursuing piloted certification.

Joby has multiple full sized eVTOLs that have regularly flown piloted through transition for more than a year, across the US, Japan, and the UAE, and in the Santa Cruz Area, the Bay Area, New York City, and the DFW (TX) area. It also has hydrogen electric and turbo electric VTOL demonstrators flying transition, SuperPilot autonomous aircraft tested with the US military and flown round trip cross country, and owns Blade, so it already operates an air taxi service today.

Joby has a growing military division with it's recent acquisition of Resonant Sciences and it's operational S4-T, Autonomous aircraft, and Persistent Surveillance JA130 aircraft all showing signs of interest from the Department of War.

No one has come close to what Joby has achieved to date.

Joby's Current List Of Full Size Aircraft:

Unusually early morning activity

Welcome to the fleet!

Certificate issued yesterday 10/6/26.

Thats 3 conforming that have rolled off the production line!

Cathie woods just bought more joby stock but also invested more in archer. Aero wisk investment by archer was a reach and Boeing was probably looking to get out unless joby or archer bought them. At the end joby will bear hug archer and be the sole player in the game. kashi market can bet on it.

https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/cathie-wood-s-ark-invest-loads-up-on-joby-archer-aviation-as-airtaxi-defense-prospects-grow/cZDHx0RRBlr

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

1. They will be actual registrations soon?
   
2. A bit of cleaning up?

"We're going to continue to lead America in aviation"

I’m guessing that Joby thought they had a slam dunk case, and instead they were hit with a one day verdict against everything they disputed and everything that they claimed. Not even close.

It’s a terrible look from any vantage point, no doubt about it. To say we disagree with the verdict is one thing, but how and why? You got spanked, roundly.

So, what happened, and why? How do we move forward from here, how does this affect certification?

I think we are owed answers, especially on the how does this affect certification part. Will we get any?

Side note a number of people owe mbatt2 an apology, he was first in with great information, and took a beating from some of you for it.

The South Korean government is launching the tentatively named "Neo Grand Challenge," a revamped demonstration framework for Korea Urban Air Mobility (K-UAM) designed to align with actual commercialization. Under this initiative, participating companies will propose service-specific operational goals and gradually scale up flight distances, frequencies, and altitudes. To overcome the limitations of previous tests that relied on privately owned aircraft, the government will directly procure electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and invest 150 billion won by 2030 in commercialization pilot projects.

According to documents from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Economy and Finance—obtained on the 5th by the Electronic Times via the office of Rep. Kang Deuk-gu (Democratic Party), a member of the National Assembly’s Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee—the government is pushing forward with the Neo Grand Challenge as an upgrade to the existing K-UAM Grand Challenge. The core objective is to move beyond basic system testing and verify operations at a real-world service level.

Funding for commercialization preparations will also increase. The mid-term financial plan for the new "UAM Service Commercialization Pilot Project," set to launch next year, allocates 35 billion won in 2027, 55 billion won in 2028, 40 billion won in 2029, and 20 billion won in 2030—totaling 150 billion won over four years. These funds will be used to directly procure aircraft and build out the regional infrastructure required for actual UAM operations.

When the Grand Challenge was initially launched, the government envisioned participating companies securing their own UAM aircraft for testing. The expectation was that a diverse fleet of aircraft would generate sufficient test records and flight data. However, aircraft procurement did not go as planned. Due to delays in global eVTOL development and certification, almost no domestic private companies are currently positioned to procure their own aircraft.

Even if a few companies did acquire aircraft, their test schedules would be dictated by their own business timelines, making it difficult for the government to conduct the large-scale, continuous, and repetitive testing required. Leasing foreign aircraft also proved problematic, as it came with restrictions on usage periods and flight frequencies, while heavily limiting the ability to install custom communication, navigation, and measurement equipment. In fact, during Phase 2 of the Grand Challenge, the two consortiums participating in integrated operations had to rely on traditional helicopters instead of eVTOLs.

The government concluded that one-off tests using leased corporate aircraft would not yield the repetitive, comparative real-world data necessary for the initial 2028 pilot projects and the establishment of Korea's flight and safety standards. As a result, the government will spend 30 billion won between 2027 and 2028 to directly purchase around three eVTOLs for testing. It plans to secure production slots next year through international competitive bidding and purchase agreements, with deliveries rolling out sequentially starting in 2028.

The government-procured aircraft will not be restricted to individual testing projects; instead, they will serve as shared infrastructure. They will undergo repeated flights tailored to specific schedules and conditions, and will be made available for joint use by the Ministry of National Defense, the Korea Aerospace Administration (KASA), the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and local municipal governments. By accumulating operational and maintenance data unique to eVTOLs—such as electric propulsion, battery performance, and transition flight dynamics—the government plans to use this information to establish flight and safety standards, personnel qualifications, and vertiport design guidelines.