Air Force pilots reach new program milestones in electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFRL) – Four Air Force pilots remotely flew a Joby electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at the company’s Marina, California, manufacturing facility April 20. They were the first Air Force personnel to assume remote pilot-in-command responsibilities and transition flight for the eVTOL, preparing the Air Force for delivery of aircraft to Edwards Air Force Base, California.
“This next step of getting Air Force pilots trained and operating Joby aircraft at an Air Force installation is an incredibly important milestone for the program, providing key insights to actual operations, maintenance information, and use case validation for Advanced Air Mobility aircraft,” said Lt. Col. Tom Meagher, AFWERX Prime division chief. “Additionally, the Joby operations provide an outstanding opportunity for accelerated learning with the other Department of Defense services and government agencies, including NASA and the FAA.”
Capt. Terrence McKenna, AFWERX Agility Prime test and experimentation lead, trains in a Joby electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) simulator. The Joby is a five-seat, zero-emissions eVTOL aircraft. (Courtesy photo)
The flights preceded AFWERX Agility Prime’s April 25, 2023, announcement that it has entered into a third extension of its contract with Joby.
The extension enables options for Joby to deliver up to nine of its low acoustic signature, zero-operating emissions aircraft to the Air Force and other government partners. The first two Joby aircraft will be delivered to Edwards in early 2024.
The Edwards aircraft permit increased utilization and testing of the five-seat eVTOLs by AFWERX and the Air Force Test Center. The aircraft mark a new phase in the program’s efforts to bring zero-emissions aviation into the military and ensure a robust domestic market for eVTOL aircraft.
The Joby S4 is a five-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. AFWERX Agility Prime announced April 25, 2023, that it has entered into a third extension of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III contract with Joby. The extension enables options for Joby to deliver up to nine of its low acoustic signature, zero-operating emissions S4 aircraft to the Air Force and other government partners. The first two Joby aircraft will be delivered to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., before March 2024. (Courtesy photo)
The Defense Department first partnered with Joby more than six years ago and began working with Agility Prime in 2020. The DOD provides the company with access to testing facilities, early operational experience for government customers, and a partial offset to its research and development costs.
“The Agility Prime program is a remarkably successful example of how public-private partnerships can deliver trailblazing technology at speed,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Joby founder and CEO. “We’re grateful for the support of the program and for the U.S. government’s wider commitment to global leadership in this important new sector. As well as allowing us to explore the wide range of potential use cases across the U.S. government, our defense partners have also provided us with high-impact support as we prepare for commercial operations in 2025.”
George “Hank” Griffiths Jr., AFWERX chief of airworthiness and test, flies a Joby electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft via a remote console. The Joby is a five-seat, zero emissions eVTOL aircraft. (Courtesy photo)
Edwards is the Air Force’s second largest base and is the site of hundreds of significant aviation events. In October 1947, Capt. Chuck Yeager became the first to break the sound barrier flying the Bell X-1. Throughout the 1960s, the X-15 rocket-powered aircraft was the first winged aircraft to fly Mach 4, 5 and 6. And in April 1981, the space shuttle Columbia, landed at the California air base after orbiting Earth 37 times.
“The first flight of a Joby eVTOL aircraft by Air Force pilots builds on the decades-long legacy of breaking barriers at Edwards,” said Col. Grant Mizell, 412th Test Wing Operations Group commander. “This new technology is brought to the world in rapid fashion by the convergence of commercial industry and our American Airmen working shoulder-to-shoulder.”
Maj. Mike Corson (left), 418th Flight Test Squadron pilot, and Capt. Terrence McKenna, AFWERX Agility Prime test and experimentation lead, perform a pre-flight check on a Joby S4 aircraft. The Joby S4 is a five-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. (Courtesy photo)
About AFRL
The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space, and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 11,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit: www.afresearchlab.com.
About AFWERX
AFWERX is an AFRL Directorate that connects innovators across government, industry and academia. Through innovation and collaboration with our nation’s top subject-matter experts, AFWERX harnesses the power of ingenuity of internal talent while expanding technology, talent and transition partnerships for rapid and affordable commercial and military capability. Additional information is available at www.afwerx.com.
About Prime
The AFWERX Prime programs accelerate the development of key dual-use technology sectors that advance US national security and competitiveness, enabling fielding of rapid and affordable capability within a 2-4 year timeframe. Prime programs collaborate across academia, industry, investors, interagency, international, acquisition, laboratory and warfighter communities. Learn more at https://afwerx.com/prime.
About Agility Prime
The Air Force launched Agility Prime, a non-traditional program seeking to accelerate the commercial market for advanced air mobility vehicles. Leveraging unique testing resources and revenue generating government use cases for distributed logistics and disaster response, the government plans to mitigate current commercial market and regulatory risks. Additional information is available at: https://afwerx.com/agility-prime.