Joby announced Dayton manufacturing plans for its electric aircraft in September 2023. The company says it is preparing a former postal sorting facility near Dayton International Airport for manufacturing of parts.
The Joby-Virgin partnership builds on an existing agreement between Joby and Delta Air Lines, which owns a 49% stake in Virgin Atlantic, Joby said.
The goal is to launch service in the UK, starting with regional and city connections from Virgin Atlantic’s hubs at Heathrow and Manchester airports, Joby said.
Said Joby: “Virgin Atlantic will support Joby’s go-to-market efforts in the UK through marketing the service to their customers, engaging regulators alongside Joby and helping to build support for the development of landing infrastructure at key airports.”
Joby’s electric air taxi is designed to quietly carry a pilot and up to four passengers at speeds of up to 200 mph. The company is focused on getting travelers to large airports across cities.
“As a leader in sustainability and with innovation firmly in our DNA, we are delighted to be partnering with Joby to bring short-haul, zero-emission flight to airports and cities throughout the UK,” Shai Weiss, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said in a Joby statement. “Our strategic partnership combines Joby’s expertise in design, engineering and technology with the power of Virgin Atlantic’s brand and award-winning customer experience.”
“Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to delighting its customers reflects our experience with Delta and we couldn’t imagine a better partner to work with in the UK,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Joby CEO.
Joby leaders have said they hope to begin manufacturing in Dayton this year. Construction drawings and building plans filed with the city of Dayton show plans to transform the building at 3571 Concorde Drive, showing a central work area in the building with apparent work stations approximately six feet apart.
The documents say the floor area for the manufacturing area covers 18,549 square feet in a building with nearly 43,000 square feet total. The documents put the total number of occupants at 448.
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