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Flying Taxi Factory Coming To Ohio, Historic Home Of The Wright Brothers

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7 months ago

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Courtesy of Joby Aviation
Ohio officials on Monday announced Joby Aviation will be opening an electric air taxi manufacturing facility at the Dayton International Airport.
The assembly-line manufacturing facility will build, test, and fly all-electric, vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxis, primarily for commercial passenger operations, officials said.
Joby Ohio is slated to invest at least $477.5 million in the 140-acre site at the Dayton International Airport, where it plans to produce up to 500 aircraft per year. Construction is expected to begin in 2024, and the facility will be operational in 2025. Until then, Joby plans to use existing nearby facilities.
The project is expected to bring around 2,000 new jobs to the Miami Valley, with a total payroll expected to surpass $140 million, officials said.
“Ohio’s legacy in aviation leadership begins with the Wright Brothers and continues now with Joby Aviation, as they launch a new era in advanced aviation manufacturing and aerial mobility in Dayton,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement.
“The aircraft that will roll off Joby Ohio’s production lines will redefine urban transportation and contribute to a transformational change in the way people and goods travel. We welcome Joby and celebrate the new chapter of air mobility history that will be made here in Ohio, the Heart of Aviation and Aerospace,” DeWine said.
The aircraft are designed for aerial ridesharing, and can accommodate four passengers along with the pilot. They have a range of about 100 miles and can reach speeds of up to 200 mph.
“Today’s announcement didn’t come about by chance, it was earned through 20 years of strategic planning in the Dayton region, leading us to be in the best possible position for a company like Joby to expand their operations from California to Ohio,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted.
“Dayton has solidified itself as the center of aviation innovation, from the Wright Brothers to Wright-Patterson AFB, but for over 100 years, that innovation has not been successfully translated into the manufacturing of aircraft and the thousands of jobs that come with it. Today, that elusive aspiration becomes reality,” Husted said.
Ohio is home to 583 aerospace businesses, which employed around 130,000 people in 2022. The state’s aerospace industry is responsible for $42.3 billion in economic output, according to the Aerospace Industries Association.
The state is uniquely equipped to welcome Joby, with the airspace infrastructure for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) operations, including 226 square miles of dedicated testing space for air mobility vehicles under Federal Aviation Administration waivers.
“Dayton is where the Wright Brothers harnessed the revolutionary technology of their day to open up the skies. We intend to do the same, now bringing quiet and emissions-free flight to the world,” Joby Aviation said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “Dayton is also the site of America’s first aircraft factory. We’re proud to join and carry forward Ohio’s rich aviation legacy, including the men and women serving today at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, home of @AFResearchLab.”
“Ohio has a long, rich history in aviation, and we’re proud to bring the next chapter of that story to life in the place where it all started. As one of the top states in the country for aviation manufacturing and innovation, Ohio will play an important role in the future of our industry, and we’re looking forward to growing our team here,” said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby Aviation.
TMX contributed to this article.
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