Joby on Tuesday said it formally applied for its flagship design to be certified by Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for a commercial passenger air taxi service Down Under. The manufacturer would leverage a bilateral agreement between the FAA and CASA that would allow its FAA type certificate to be validated by the Australian regulator.

The FAA in March published final special class airworthiness criteria that Joby will use to obtain that approval, which it hopes to achieve by next year. The company has also received Part 135 authorization to operate its aircraft and Part 145 certification to perform maintenance and repairs.

“With commercial powered-lift operations already considered in CASA’s regulatory frameworks, we’re pleased to be working with Australian authorities using a regulatory path to market that is actively being pursued by numerous countries around the world,” said Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt.

Joby has also applied for its FAA type certificate to be validated by regulators in the U.K. and Japan.

The manufacturer’s flagship design is a four-passenger air taxi with 100 sm (87 nm) range and 200 mph (174 knots) cruise speed, ideal for intracity trips such between city center and airport. The firm intends for the service to operate much like ground-based rideshare platforms Uber and Lyft and will use a recently unveiled software suite called ElevateOS, which has been approved for use by the FAA.

Uber’s Elevate subsidiary previously ran the short-lived UberCopter service, which used helicopters rather than eVTOL aircraft. Several Joby employees, including head of product Eric Allison, who helped develop ElevateOS, joined the manufacturer when it acquired Uber Elevate in 2020, and Uber became a partner and investor.

In Australia, Joby has a relationship with Skyportz Infrastructure, a developer of vertiports. These sites, often modified airfields, enable vertical takeoff and landing and are equipped with electric charging stations for eVTOL aircraft to juice up. The two companies do not yet have a deal for Joby to use Skyportz vertiports but have agreed to build a mock passenger terminal to test future air taxi operations.

Of note, Skyportz in April launched an operating subsidiary, Wilbur Air, which will fly routes connecting the company’s vertiports nationwide. Joby plans to operate its own aircraft in the U.S. but has also contemplated the direct sale of aircraft to operating partners.

“With this announcement [Tuesday], we could see Joby aircraft commence operations in Australia from our Skyportz sites in the foreseeable future,” said Skyportz CEO Clem Newton-Brown.

Bolstering that prediction is CASA’s recent release of vertiport design guidelines, which call for the sites to exclude helicopters.

“This will give the AAM industry an opportunity to demonstrate to the community that a vertiport (catering only for air taxis) may be more desirable than a heliport,” said Newton-Brown.

Down Under, the company may need to compete with Boeing air taxi subsidiary Wisk Aero, which is also working toward service in Australia and has a partnership with a similarly named infrastructure provider, Skyports (with an “S”). The partners are seeking to stand up a vertiport network by the time the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games begin in Brisbane.

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The Australian entrepreneur founded FlyOnE with the express purpose of decarbonizing general aviation in the region, and he believes the answer lies in the implementation of electric aircraft.

FlyOnE is based at the Jandakot Airport (YPJT) south of Perth, in Western Australia. Jandakot serves as a busy reliever to the primary Perth International (YPPH). The start-up has collaborated with flight training organization Cloud Dancer Pilot Training at Jandakot to deliver the first recreational pilot course in electric-powered aircraft in Australia—and one of a handful now shepherding the new style of learning to fly worldwide—in a Pipistrel Alpha Electro.

Electric-Powered Training, Approved

In order to present a training syllabus in the Alpha Electro, the FTO needed approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Australia (CASA). The signoff on the Alpha Electro to operate in Australia was secured nearly five years ago. “CASA has been amazingly supportive of electric aviation in Australia,” said a post on FlyOnE’s LinkedIn page, “and was one of the first governing bodies in the world to enable electric aviation with the first certificate of airworthiness issued for a Pipistrel Alpha Electro in 2018, with the help of Recreational Aviation Australia.”

Approval of the integration of the airplane into a training syllabus came next.

With the lower cost of operation for the electric aircraft, Cloud Dancer offers that a prospective pilot could secure their recreational certificate—the initial one in Australia—for less than $10,000 (Australian) and in 20 to 30 hours of training.

“I want the electric aviation sector of aviation to grow and be effective but it’s not going to be quite as wild as some make it out to be,” said Ellis, referring to the prospect of completing an entire certificate using just electrics at this point.

The project overall has put 200 hours on the first Alpha Electro, with a second aircraft coming online in mid-February for training at Cloud Dancer. The chief instructor for the school, Adrian Van Schouwen, has 85 hours in the airplane giving dual—certainly more than anyone else in the country.

A large part of what FlyOnE and Cloud Dancer are proving is the viability of training in electric aircraft on a day-to-day basis in the real-world weather and airport conditions at Jandakot. They can fly 11.5 months out of the year, based on the VFR days in Perth, according to Ellis, with exceptions for when it’s too hot or windy to fly.

The wind limits are similar to those of any light sport or UL aircraft weighing 600 kg or less at max gross—the Alpha Electro’s limit is 570 kg—but the heat limitation has special nuances to it that are specific to the electric motor and the way the Alpha is designed. When the thermometer shoots to 40 degrees Celsius—as it can do easily in a Western Australian summer—the Alpha Electro reaches battery temperature limits quickly, particularly in the climb.

“We’re just learning so much about what we can and cannot do and how to get through the hot days,” said Ellis, “so when we do get to market with another aircraft, all our competitors will have to go through some pain in testing to discover that.” To this end, FlyOnE is seeking partners to join its Skycademy program along with Cloud Dancer.

First Electric Flight Over Sydney

An opportunity presented itself with the advent of Avalon 2023, the Australia international Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition at Avalon Airport (YMAV) in Geelong, Victoria. Not held since 2019, the largest event of its kind on the continent offers a week of industry meetings and displays, as well as a long weekend open to the general public.

Because it is based in Perth, on the opposite end of a country nearly as broad as the U.S., FlyOnE saw a way to demonstrate the innovation already transpiring in alternative aviation powerplants and fuels by transporting one of the Alpha Electros used in training to go on display at the event. Ellis also secured the ability to make a demonstration flight over Sydney—a first for electric flight in the country’s largest metropolitan area.

On February 25, Ellis soared over Sydney’s Homebush Stadium and Olympic Park, demonstrating the first passenger aircraft powered by an electric motor in the area. While the current model won’t prove the ultimate trainer for the market, it represents a critical first step in proving the business case for electric aircraft and flight training globally.

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1: NTSB Preliminary Report Sheds Light on Copilot Mid-Air Departure

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the copilot of a skydiving aircraft that made an emergency landing July 29 at Raleigh, North Carolina, intentionally departed the aircraft in flight without a parachute. According to the surviving pilot, the copilot was upset about the hard landing that damaged the airplane.

2: World’s Largest Airplane Completes First Test Flight in Eight Months

Stratolaunch’s Roc—the biggest airplane in the world—returned to the sky Sunday, completing its first test flight in more than eight months.

The four-hour and 23-minute mission expanded Roc’s proven test envelope, including a higher altitude, as well as retracting and extending one of Roc’s main landing gear in flight for the first time. 

3: New Images of World’s Largest Cargo Jet Show Details of Destruction

Russia’s Ministry of Defense has released new imagery showing an apparently destroyed Antonov An-225 Mriya—once the world’s largest cargo airplane—at Gostomel Airport (UKKM) in Ukraine.

The airport—also known as Antonov Airport—was the scene of intense firefights last month between Ukrainian military and invading Russian special forces. The photos show Mriya’s gigantic nose cone riddled with what appear to be bullet or shrapnel holes sitting near the aircraft’s wing and turbofan engines. 

4: The ‘Colossal Mistake’ May Lead to a Colossal Bill

“I made a colossal mistake in my first lesson, mistakenly departing with the cowl plug still in place. The cylinder head temperature had reached a sickening 550 degrees for a few minutes, and we made a precautionary landing at a nearby grass strip. After cooling down, the airplane performed flawlessly for the trip home, so I went ahead and scheduled a second lesson with my instructor for the next day.”

5: Cirrus Vision Jet Pilot Pulls Chute in Florida

A pilot and two passengers are okay after the Cirrus Vision Jet went down after deploying the CAPS (Cirrus Airframe Parachute System), apparently while on approach to Kissimmee Gateway Airport (KISM) in Florida on September 9.

The post Top 5 Stories of 2022 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The report, released Tuesday, comes nearly three weeks after the CASA 212-200 was substantially damaged by a hard landing near Raeford, North Carolina. 

• READ MORE: Copilot’s Departure of Aircraft in Mid-Flight Baffles Authorities

According to the surviving pilot—who was acting as pilot-in-command (PIC)—they had flown two skydiving runs, then descended to Raeford West Airport (NR20) to pick up a third group of skydivers. The CASA 212 is a fixed-gear design with a ramp that lowers in the rear to allow for the egress of skydivers.

At the time of the accident, only the PIC and copilot—also known as the second-in-command (SIC) in the report—were on board.

The SIC was flying an approach that, according to the PIC, was “on heading, altitude and airspeed” at Raeford until the airplane descended below the tree line and the aircraft encountered an abrupt and uncommanded loss of altitude.

Both pilots called for a go-around, which the SIC initiated, but he was unable to prevent the aircraft from landing hard on the runway. The impact damaged the right main landing gear. 

The PIC assumed the flight controls when the aircraft reached 400 feet agl and flew a low pass over the runway so airfield personnel could verify the damage, as the landing gear of the aircraft is not visible from the cockpit. 

The personnel subsequently called the PIC to let him know that they had recovered the fractured landing gear on the runway. 

The PIC directed the SIC to declare an emergency and request a diversion to Raleigh Durham International Airport (KRDU), some 78 nm away, for an emergency landing.

Crew Coordinated with ATC

According to the PIC, while en route to Raleigh, the crew coordinated with air traffic control operations and planned their approach and landing at KRDU. The SIC was responsible for communicating with air traffic control while the PIC flew the airplane.

In Live ATC recordings of conversations between the aircraft and air traffic controllers, a pilot aboard the CASA 212 (using the callsign “Shady 2”) is heard declaring an emergency, stating “We have lost our right wheel. We’d like to proceed to Raleigh and make the landing at Raleigh.”

ATC confirmed that Raleigh-Durham was the desired airport and advised Shady 2 to resume its own navigation to Raleigh-Durham. 

ATC asked for information about the home base of the aircraft, how many people were on board, and the amount of fuel. The pilot’s transmission indicated there were two people on board and they had enough fuel for approximately four hours of flying. 

Later in the transmission, ATC asked for verification that a wheel was missing from the aircraft as the result of a landing. The pilot replied, “affirmative.” Another voice replied, “the wheel assembly has been found.” A second voice from Shady 2 explained there was a hard landing and the aircraft went around “and at that point, we lost the wheel.”

A few minutes later, the controller supplied Shady 2 with the telephone number for Fayetteville Approach to call when they were on the ground. The next transmission was Shady 2 checking in as they passed through 3,500 feet.

Pilot: Copilot Became Visibly Upset

The PIC told investigators that there was moderate turbulence during the flight, and that about 20 minutes into the diversion, after conducting approach and emergency briefings, the SIC became visibly upset about the hard landing. 

The PIC stated that the SIC then opened his side cockpit window and "may have gotten sick," and the PIC took over radio communications. The SIC then lowered the ramp in the back of the airplane indicating that he felt like he was going to be sick and needed air.

According to the NTSB report, the SIC "got up from his seat, removed his headset, apologized, and departed the airplane via the aft ramp door."

The PIC stated there was a bar one could grab about 6 feet above the ramp, but he did not see the SIC grab the bar before exiting the airplane.

Next, the PIC turned the airplane to the right to search for the SIC and notified air traffic control that his co-pilot had departed the airplane without a parachute.

The body of the SIC was found a short time later in the backyard of a home some 20 miles from the airport.

The PIC proceeded on course to KRDU, where he performed a low-approach and then emergency landing. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and came to rest upright in the grass. The PIC sustained minor injuries.

The post-accident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right main landing gear, the landing gear fittings, and the airframe structure where the fittings attach.

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