Dayton companies are winning big at Dubai air show

GE Aerospace and Joby Aviation announce new agreements
Joby Aviation image

Joby Aviation image

Two Dayton-area companies will leave the 2025 Dubai Air Show after inking significant new agreements.

Dayton-area employer GE Aerospace and the Emirates airline this week announced an agreement for 130 GE9X engines to power 65 additional Boeing 777-9 aircraft, bringing the airline’s total GE9X engines on order to more than 540, GE said.

The contract includes spare engines and a long-term services agreement, GE said.

And Dayton electric air taxi manufacturer Joby Aviation, Inc. announced a memorandum of understanding with Red Sea Global and The Helicopter Company that include plans for Joby to complete pre-commercial evaluation flights of its electric air taxi in Saudi Arabia in the first half of 2026.

The agreement will have Joby establish a base for potential air taxi operations in the region with Joby intending to conduct representative flights.

“Saudi Arabia continues to lean in on the adoption of fast, clean and quiet air travel,” JoeBen Bevirt, Joby founder and CEO, said in a release. “We continue to leverage our proven market playbook by partnering with government and local operators to streamline expansion into new regions and prepare for the launch of the next generation of air mobility.”

Joby already has an agreement with Saudi Arabian company Abdul Latif Jameel to explore delivery of up to 200 of its aircraft in Saudi Arabia.

A Joby Aviation employee works in a propeller molding area at the company's new facility near Dayton International Airport on Monday, Nov. 10. BRYANT BILLING/STAFF

Credit: Bryant Billing

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Credit: Bryant Billing

Joby makes propeller blades at a Concorde Drive production facility near Dayton International Airport. As the market embraces Joby’s aircraft, the company hopes to make more parts and eventually, to assemble whole aircraft in Dayton.

GE Aerospace’s main area plants are in Beavercreek, Vandalia and its EPISCenter on the University of Dayton campus off River Park Drive.

The Dubai show features more than 1,500 exhibitors and more than 200 aircraft. The show wraps up Friday Nov. 21.

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