SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - Joby Aviation in Santa Cruz, Calif., which is developing commercial electric advanced air mobility solutions, use, announced it has secured two critical milestones from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The company received a Part 141 certificate for its flight training academy and FAA acceptance of its voluntary safety management system (SMS) under Part 5.
Prospective pilots will have access to courses such as private pilot training, instrument rating, commercial pilot training, and certified flight instructor programs. These courses aim to prepare participants for careers with Joby or other aviation operators.
"We’re pleased to be ticking two more items off our operations checklist as we continue to lead the industry towards commercialization of electric air taxis," said Bonny Simi, Joby’s President of Operations. "As a former airline pilot, I’m particularly looking forward to seeing our Flight Academy grow in both courses and students in the coming years as we offer highly competitive prices and strong training curricula that position graduates for success in the industry."
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The company is also progressing its safety initiatives, having received FAA approval for its voluntary Part 5 air operations SMS. This requirement, which becomes mandatory for air taxi operators in the coming years, establishes comprehensive safety policies.
“We are also building a strong safety foundation for our planned operations with the FAA acceptance of our Safety Management System governing air operations under our Part 135 operation, Joby Elevate,” Simi added.
Both the Part 141 and Part 5 SMS certifications are essential steps toward the launch of Joby’s air taxi service, which the company detailed during a June 2024 presentation titled “Pre-Flight Checklist: An Introduction to Joby Air Taxi Operations.”
Joby’s electric air taxi is built to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph. The aircraft is intended to provide high-speed travel with significantly lower noise levels than helicopters and zero operating emissions.
