Joby completes 7-minute JFK flight

Joby Aviation and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said they completed New York City’s first point-to-point electric air-taxi demonstration flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Manhattan heliports on April 26 and April 27. (panynj.gov) (jobyaviation.com) The aircraft flew from JFK to Downtown Skyport, the West 30th Street Heliport, and the East 34th Street Heliport, then returned to JFK through FAA-controlled New York airspace. Joby identified the aircraft used in the campaign as N545JX. (panynj.gov) (jobyaviation.com) Joby said those routes are designed to show how Lower Manhattan and Midtown trips to JFK could take under 10 minutes by air instead of a 60-to-120-minute drive. The company described the New York stop as the start of a week-long public campaign across the city’s heliport network. (jobyaviation.com) (ir.jobyaviation.com) Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, or eVTOLs, take off like helicopters and then fly on wings like small planes. Joby says its aircraft is designed to be quieter than conventional helicopters and to produce zero operating emissions in flight. (jobyaviation.com) The New York flights were tied to the Federal Aviation Administration’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, a federal effort to move more mature aircraft into early operations. The Port Authority said New York’s selection for that program helped make the demonstration possible. (panynj.gov) (jobyaviation.com) Joby is still working toward federal approval for passenger service. On March 11, 2026, the company said it began flight testing its first FAA-conforming aircraft for Type Inspection Authorization, with FAA pilots expected to begin “for credit” flight testing later in 2026. (jobyaviation.com) The company’s New York pitch is built around airport access. Joby said it plans to connect ground transportation and flights through partnerships with Delta Air Lines and Uber in a single booking flow. (jobyaviation.com) (news.delta.com) (investor.uber.com) Port Authority officials tied the flights to the agency’s broader transportation and climate plans, including a stated goal of net-zero carbon emissions across operations by 2050. Joby tied them to a 2026 national demonstration tour and its push toward commercial launch. (panynj.gov) (jobyaviation.com) For now, the seven-minute JFK pitch is still a demonstration, not a public shuttle. The next test is whether Joby can turn these New York flights into certified passenger service after FAA flight testing later this year. (jobyaviation.com 1) (jobyaviation.com 2)