Major eVTOL Companies Ramping Up Flight Schools

Pilot academies are in the works at major electric, vertical takeoff and landing companies.

Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 09:51 PM ET

Verified

Joby Aviation is just one of several major eVTOL developers that are creating flight training programs for their aircraft. Courtesy: Joby Aviation

Key Takeaways:

Joby Aviation plans to establish its own pilot academy to train pilots for its uncertified eVTOL aircraft, reflecting a broader industry effort with companies like Lilium and Volocopter also developing new pilot training programs.
Joby aims for FAA type certification by 2023 to launch its air taxi service by 2024, initially using existing pilot pools, while other companies are also advancing their training efforts.
The long-term vision for Joby and the eVTOL industry involves progressively integrating more automation into aircraft, with the ultimate goal of achieving fully autonomous flight as technology, regulations, and public acceptance mature.

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California-based Joby Aviation announced Tuesday the eVTOL manufacturer and operator plans to create “our own pilot academy” to train pilots how to fly Joby’s as-of-yet uncertified new aircraft.

Speaking at a virtual presentation about certification, Joby Head of Government Affairs Gregory Bowles said details about the academy will be announced in the future, but he offered some context about career paths that might lead to Joby.