Joby and Virgin Atlantic want to offer air cabs in Greater London
Electric planes taking off vertically in conurbations could not remain a fiction. The latest test should have the right targets and range.
Hexacopter from Joby with Virgin livery.
(Image: Joby Aviation)
The US company Joby Aviation and the British airline Virgin Atlantic have agreed on a far-reaching cooperation. Virgin will be able to book flights with Joby's multicopters, which can fly to various destinations in the Greater London area.
The densely populated region is well suited for scheduled operations with emission-free and comparatively quiet electric aircraft, if Joby can keep its promises: With a pilot and five passengers, the vertical take-off aircraft should be able to travel up to 240 kilometers on a single battery charge and reach speeds of up to 300 km/h. According to a map published by Joby, the cities of Birmingham, Cambridge, Canterbury and Oxford, among others, can be reached from London Heathrow. As well as the coastal towns of Brighton and Canterbury.
(Image:Â Joby Aviation)
8 minutes from LHR to the city
Stansted Airport is planned as a further hub, with flights to Norwich and other destinations. And in the north of England, Manchester and its airport are to serve as a hub to create connections from there to Hull, Liverpool, Nottingham and York, for example. So far, Joby has only given a flight time for the connection from London Heathrow to the city center: it should take 8 minutes.
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According to The Verge, the two companies have not yet announced prices or timetables. In the USA, where Joby is already undergoing the FAA approval process, including manned flights, the first passenger flights are expected to be offered in late 2025 or early 2026. Unlike some other electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) concepts, Joby relies on a proven design with a few large swivel rotors, six in this case, and a pilot, i.e. not autonomous flight. The FAA has also introduced a new aircraft category for eVTOLs.
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