Flying Magazine reports, “Electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi developer Joby Aviation this week took a key step toward its envisioned electric aerial ridesharing service. After expanding its pilot production facility in Marina, California, to about 435,000 square feet, Joby on Tuesday said it expects to double its air taxi production rate to 24 per year. Ramping up in Marina—the epicenter of its manufacturing efforts and a critical test site for the air taxi—will allow Joby to expand its test fleet, which comprises five eVTOL air taxis plus one liquid hydrogen-powered demonstrator.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Tag: to Double
Embraer Executive Jets Announces Doubling of its MRO Network
Aviation International News reports that Embraer Executive Jets “is doubling its maintenance service network in the US from three to six facilities ‘to support the continued growth of its executive jets customer base,’ the company announced today.” The three new factory-owned service centers – “to be based at Dallas Love Field, as well as in Cleveland, Ohio, and Sanford, Florida – are scheduled to open in the second quarter of next year.” Embraer Services and Support Vice President of MRO Services Frank Stevens said, “We are pleased to offer additional service locations for our customers as we will significantly expand the capacity, capability, and footprint of our MRO network in the U.S. Our Executive Jets fleet has been growing rapidly over the last several years as strong demand continues across the entire product portfolio. This expansion will provide immediate additional capacity and ensures that we are poised to care for our valued customers and strategically grow for many years to come.”
Full Story (Aviation International News)
Chinese Space Launches Could Double in 2023
Space News reports that launches conducted “by commercial Chinese launch service providers could more than double those attempted last year, according to firms’ plans for 2023.” The more than 20 launches “now planned by commercial launch service providers would notably eclipse the total number of orbital launches conducted by China in 2017, demonstrating the rapid growth in Chinese launch capacity and cadence in recent years.” The development could “provide momentum to deployment of Chinese commercial small satellite constellations and have implications internationally for space traffic management.” China conducted “a national record 64 launches in 2022, with 54 of these accounted for by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).” Other actors – namely Expace, Landspace, iSpace and Galactic Energy – “contributed 10 more, including a pair of launch failures.” CASC has declared “its intentions to surpass 60 launches this year, but the companies above and a handful of new entrants are planning more than 20 launches of their own.”
Full Story (Space News – Subscription Publication)