📻 Local NPR, NPR impacts: We look at the impact to local stations of the vote to rescind $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
🏛️ Creachbaum case: We have more on the custody and criminal history of those involved in the case of Hershall Creachbaum Jr.
Today, we also go in-depth on the current news and background of Joby Aviation, a company whose work has been some of the most anticipated in the Dayton area.
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Joby Aviation Inc., a maker of flying taxis, said production is nearing at a facility the company acquired near Dayton International Airport
Joby Aviation Inc., a maker of flying taxis, said production is nearing at a facility the company acquired near Dayton International Airport.
• About Joby Aviation: California-based Joby makes and flies electric air taxis, quiet emissions-free craft that lift off and land like helicopters but fly like airplanes, aiming to make short-hop aerial commuter travel a reality for more travelers.
• Training: The first Ohio-based team members are in Marina (Joby’s California site) undergoing training. From there, they plan to continue scaling their presence in Ohio.
• Dayton site: Equipment installation is underway, with production ramping up to eventually build up to 500 aircraft a year at that location. In Dayton, Joby will also produce and test aircraft components for Joby’s Marina production line.
• California site: Joby also recently announced the expansion of its production site in Marina. The site now spans some 435,500 square feet. Once fully operational, the expanded California site is expected to be able to produce up to 24 aircraft a year.
• Jobs: Joby’s careers page shows openings in Dayton for a test engineer and a senior test engineer.
‘We’d like you to build it here.’ How Dayton and Ohio won Joby Aviation’s historic eVTOL plant
Winning Joby Aviation Inc.’s decision to build a historic manufacturing operation in the Dayton area took countless conversations, emails, phone calls, late-night West Coast flights and plain hard work.
• Why Dayton? JoeBen Bevirt, Joby founder and chief executive, cited a straightforward trio of reasons for choosing the area: Workforce, incentives and a long relationship with the Air Force.
• What officials said: “We were in a long competition to do this, and we won. That’s a big deal,” Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted said 2023, when Joby’s plant in the area was announced.
• Location: The company said it would use existing buildings at the Dayton International Airport, including the former U.S. Postal Service office, and up to 140 acres of greenfield development.
• Potential job numbers: The company said employment could reach 2,000 workers.
• Toyota connection: Joby has a long-term collaboration with Toyota, which shares their vision for the future of air mobility. Toyota at the time was expected to invest $500 million in Joby, to be made in dual installments of $250 million.
• Saudi Arabia deal: A recent agreement with a Saudi Arabian company may set the stage for the sale of up to 200 electric aircraft made by Joby. The agreement struck with Abdul Latif Jameel is valued at approximately $1 billion.
• ElevateOS: Joby’s proprietary “ElevateOS” air taxi software system includes an operations core, a pilot app, and a rider app for consumers, all of which the FAA has authorized for use.
• Photos: See the “flying cars” that will be built by Joby near the Dayton airport.