Flight_International 28Jan2020

(Jacob Rumans) #1

BUSINESS AVIATION


flightglobal.com

From Switzerland,
a new world order
Feature P24

J


oby Aviation, a California-
based developer of electric
vertical take-off and landing
(eVTOL) aircraft for the air taxi
market, says it has raised $590
million in its latest funding
round, with automotive firm
Toyota Motor the lead investor
with a $394 million contribution.
The deal came just days after
Toyota’s competitor, South Kore-
an car company Hyundai, signed
an agreement with ride-hailing
company Uber to develop its
SA-1 eVTOL aircraft and create
airport concepts for this fledgling
transportation model.
Joby’s aircraft, a piloted five-
seat all-electric vehicle, can travel
at speeds of 174kt (322 km/h) and
fly 130nm (241km) on a single

charge, the Santa Cruz-based
company says.
“We are building a new system
for transportation to transform
your daily life, at greater safety
and, in time, at a similar cost to
driving,” says Joby founder and
chief executive JoeBen Bevirt.
“This collaboration with Toyo-
ta represents an unprecedented
commitment of money and re-
sources for us and this new in-
dustry, from one of the world’s
leading automakers.”
Toyota’s chief executive Akio
Toyoda adds: “Air transportation
has been a long-term goal for Toy-
ota, and while we continue our
work in the automobile business,
this agreement sets our sights to
the sky.”

The carmaker says its primary
interest is providing mobility for
all by leveraging emerging
technologies. In addition to in-
vesting in Joby, Toyota will
“share its expertise in manufac-
turing, quality and cost controls

for the development and pro-
duction of Joby’s breakthrough
eVTOL aircraft.”
The companies say they will
release further details about the
prototype aircraft and production
plans at a later date. ■

28 January-3 February 2020 | Flight International | 23

F


arnborough airport, the UK’s
busiest and only dedicated
business aviation hub, has
smashed its annual movement
record for the third consecutive
year – and expects the upward
trend to continue “for the foresee-
able future”, driven by sustained
demand for business aircraft trav-
el and the facility’s “strong ap-
peal” as a leading gateway to
London and the southeast.
For the year ended 31 Decem-
ber 2019, the airport recorded a
total of 32,366 take-offs and land-
ings, against 30,729 movements
in 2018, and 27,000 in 2017.
Brandon O’Reilly, chief
executive of Farnborough airport,
describes the facility’s perfor-
mance as “incredible”, and attrib-
utes the increase in movements
to a variety of factors.
These include the “Brexit
effect”, with many people flying
to the UK to exploit new invest-
ment opportunities; Farnbor-
ough’s unique appeal as the UK’s
only dedicated airport for private

aircraft; and the six-month clo-
sure last year of RAF Northolt for
runway resurfacing.
Ministry of Defence-owned
RAF Northolt is the fourth-largest
airport in the London area for
business aviation traffic, record-
ing around 9,000 movements in


  1. Although it re-opened in
    November following the runway
    work, this has not cut movements
    at Farnborough, says O’Reilly.
    “We have retained much of the
    [base’s] commercial traffic that
    transferred to us during its
    closure,” he says. “Movements


climbed in November and De-
cember, and January’s traffic is
already 3.5% higher than the pre-
vious year, at 1,450 take-offs and
landings.
“The outlook is very positive


  • and if Farnborough continues
    to grow at the current annual
    rate, we should hit our 50,000
    annual movement ceiling within
    this decade.”
    The airport was sold by TAG
    Aviation last year to Australian
    developer Macquarie Infrastruc-
    ture and Real Assets. “While we
    have a new brand identity, it’s


business as usual under our new
owner, who is committed to con-
tinue growing our five-star offer-
ing,” says O’Reilly.
Sustainability is a key compo-
nent of the airport’s strategy,
with a pledge to retain its
carbon-neutral status, achieved
in 2018, and reduce the site’s im-
pact on the local environment.
Farnborough and UK air
navigation service NATS recently
created prescribed flightpaths
around the airport, which is locat-
ed 34 miles (55km) southwest of
London. These will be introduced
on 27 February, following approv-
al from the UK Civil Aviation
Authority in July 2018 to reclassi-
fy the airspace from uncontrolled
class G to class D.
O’Reilly says these “dedicated
departure and arrival routes are
not only safer and more efficient,
but they will lower aircraft
emissions and significantly re-
duce noise around the airport by
avoiding some commonly over-
flown regions”. ■

RESULTS KATE SARSFIELD FARNBOROUGH

Farnborough breaks movement record


London gateway exceeds take-off and landing total for third consecutive year, as traffic continues upward trajectory

DEVELOPMENT PILAR WOLFSTELLER SAN FRANCISCO

Toyota funding offers lift to Joby’s electric air taxi


Airport has recently created dedicated arrival and departure routes

Farmborough Airport

Joby Aviation
Piloted, five-seat eVTOL programme has raised further $590 million
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