Joby Aviation, which is developing all-electric aircraft for commercial passenger service, and GKN Aerospace have signed a multi-year agreement for the supply of thermoplastic flight control surfaces for Joby aircraft. This collaboration, signed at the Paris Air Show, marks an important step towards Joby Aviation’s goal of using its aircraft to deliver a fast, quiet and convenient air taxi service in cities around the world.
GKN Aerospace has been working closely with Joby Aviation on the application of an innovative thermoplastic concept specifically tailored to the Joby eVTOL aircraft. The flight control surfaces will be composed of a light-weight thermoplastic structure assembly, manufactured using an advanced out-of-autoclave production method. This cutting-edge manufacturing process will enable high-rate production while delivering on the high-performance requirements of Joby’s aircraft.
JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, said, “We are very excited to be joining forces with GKN Aerospace. Their remarkable experience in aerospace manufacturing, combined with our innovative approach, will play an important role in making sure we deliver the best possible aircraft for this exciting new market”
Leveraging Joby’s design input as the aircraft integrator, GKN Aerospace will undertake the detailed design of the flight control surfaces. The development and initial production work will be carried out at the Global Technology Centre in Hoogeveen, Netherlands, before transitioning to GKN Aerospace’s facility in Chihuahua, Mexico. The final products will be delivered directly to Joby’s pilot production line in Marina, California.
