Page 22 - Flight International (January 2020)

BUSINESS AVIATION
From Switzerland,
a new world order
Feature P24

DEVELOPMENT PILAR WOLFSTELLER SAN FRANCISCO
Toyota funding offers lift to Joby’s electric air taxi

oby Aviation, a California- charge, the Santa Cruz-based
Jbased developer of electric company says.
vertical take-off and landing “We are building a new system
(eVTOL) aircraft for the air taxi for transportation to transform
market, says it has raised $590 your daily life, at greater safety
million in its latest funding and, in time, at a similar cost to
round, with automotive firm driving,” says Joby founder and
Toyota Motor the lead investor chief executive JoeBen Bevirt.
with a $394 million contribution. “This collaboration with Toyo-
The deal came just days after ta represents an unprecedented
Toyota’s competitor, South Kore- commitment of money and re- Joby Aviation
an car company Hyundai, signed sources for us and this new in-
an agreement with ride-hailing dustry, from one of the world’s Piloted, five-seat eVTOL programme has raised further $590 million
company Uber to develop its leading automakers.”
SA-1 eVTOL aircraft and create Toyota’s chief executive Akio The carmaker says its primary for the development and pro-
airport concepts for this fledgling Toyoda adds: “Air transportation interest is providing mobility for duction of Joby’s breakthrough
transportation model. has been a long-term goal for Toy- all by leveraging emerging eVTOL aircraft.”
Joby’s aircraft, a piloted five- ota, and while we continue our technologies. In addition to in- The companies say they will
seat all-electric vehicle, can travel work in the automobile business, vesting in Joby, Toyota will release further details about the
at speeds of 174kt (322 km/h) and this agreement sets our sights to “share its expertise in manufac- prototype aircraft and production
fly 130nm (241km) on a single the sky.” turing, quality and cost controls plans at a later date. ■

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

arnborough airport, the UK’s business as usual under our new
Fbusiest and only dedicated owner, who is committed to con-
business aviation hub, has tinue growing our five-star offer-
smashed its annual movement ing,” says O’Reilly.
record for the third consecutive Sustainability is a key compo-
year – and expects the upward nent of the airport’s strategy,
trend to continue “for the foresee- with a pledge to retain its
able future”, driven by sustained carbon-neutral status, achieved
demand for business aircraft trav- Farmborough Airport in 2018, and reduce the site’s im-
el and the facility’s “strong ap- pact on the local environment.
peal” as a leading gateway to Farnborough and UK air
London and the southeast. Airport has recently created dedicated arrival and departure routes navigation service NATS recently
For the year ended 31 Decem- created prescribed flightpaths
ber 2019, the airport recorded a aircraft; and the six-month clo- climbed in November and De- around the airport, which is locat-
total of 32,366 take-offs and land- sure last year of RAF Northolt for cember, and January’s traffic is ed 34 miles (55km) southwest of
ings, against 30,729 movements runway resurfacing. already 3.5% higher than the pre- London. These will be introduced
in 2018, and 27,000 in 2017. Ministry of Defence-owned vious year, at 1,450 take-offs and on 27 February, following approv-
Brandon O’Reilly, chief RAF Northolt is the fourth-largest landings. al from the UK Civil Aviation
executive of Farnborough airport, airport in the London area for “The outlook is very positive Authority in July 2018 to reclassi-
describes the facility’s perfor- business aviation traffic, record- – and if Farnborough continues fy the airspace from uncontrolled
mance as “incredible”, and attrib- ing around 9,000 movements in to grow at the current annual class G to class D.
utes the increase in movements 2018. Although it re-opened in rate, we should hit our 50,000 O’Reilly says these “dedicated
to a variety of factors. November following the runway annual movement ceiling within departure and arrival routes are
These include the “Brexit work, this has not cut movements this decade.” not only safer and more efficient,
effect”, with many people flying at Farnborough, says O’Reilly. The airport was sold by TAG but they will lower aircraft
to the UK to exploit new invest- “We have retained much of the Aviation last year to Australian emissions and significantly re-
ment opportunities; Farnbor- [base’s] commercial traffic that developer Macquarie Infrastruc- duce noise around the airport by
ough’s unique appeal as the UK’s transferred to us during its ture and Real Assets. “While we avoiding some commonly over-
only dedicated airport for private closure,” he says. “Movements have a new brand identity, it’s flown regions”. ■

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