Whitaker said flying taxis, or “powered lift aircraft,” will pave the way for a new kind of air travel.

Powered lift aircraft are the first new category of aircraft in nearly 80 years, the FAA said.

Big deal for this region

The news is a big deal for the region because such aircraft is being tested at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport and a manufacturer of such aircraft has huge plans for a Dayton manufacturing location.

Springfield’s National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence is located a the Springfield airport. The air mobility center (sometimes called “NAAMCE”) was opened  to nurture new modes of aviation travel and technologies, creating a hub for manufacturers and operators who work on electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, among other innovations.

Beyond a 30,000-square-foot office facility, the center houses 25,000 square feet of aircraft hangar space for the Air Force and private industry.

A study conducted by Fly Ohio in advance of the opening of NAAMCE projected autonomous aircraft, a major focus of the Center, could generate $13 billion in economic activity and up to 15,000 new jobs between now and 2045. Such growth would translate to an additional $2.5 billion in local, state and federal tax revenues for Ohio over the same period.

Joby Aviation in Dayton

California-based Joby Aviation Inc., which has manufacturing plans in Dayton, welcomed the news, saying the regulatory milestone lays “the groundwork necessary for Joby to launch commercial passenger service in the U.S., once the company has received type certification of its aircraft.”

“The regulation published today will ensure the U.S. continues to play a global leadership role in the development and adoption of clean flight,” JoeBen Bevirt, founder and chief executive of Joby, said in a statement. “Delivering ahead of schedule is a testament to the dedication, coordination and hard work of the rulemaking team.”

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Production of components for Joby electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles (eVTOL) will begin in Dayton early next year, Greg Bowles, Joby’s head of government relations and regulatory affairs, told the Dayton Daily News in August.

That assurance came about 11 months after Joby’s first historic announcement that it would bring scaled production of its electric flying rotor-craft to the community, and about six months after Joby said it had selected a former U.S. Postal Service facility near Dayton International Airport for the work.

On Oct. 25 , Joby also announced the pricing of its underwritten public offering of 40 million shares of common stock at a public offering price of $5.05 per share, before underwriting discounts and commissions.

All of the shares of common stock are being offered by Joby.