Joby, Orlando International Airport Inaugurate Air Taxi Vertipad
Orlando International Airport (KMCO) this week inaugurated what the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) described as a first-of-its-kind site for evaluating electric air taxis. GOAA, which operates Orlando International, said Thursday that the airport hosted demonstrations of Joby Aviation’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft prototype. The flights took place at what GOAA described as a newly constructed “vertipad,” the precursor to a future hub for commercial eVTOL operations. It aims to begin operations there by 2030, though it had previously targeted 2028 . The demonstration was hosted by FDOT and according to GOAA used routes and procedures jointly developed with the FAA and NASA. It included participation from Orlando air traffic controllers. According to FlightAware , Joby’s eVTOL prototype conducted three short hops at the vertistop, each lasting two minutes or less. “By bringing together government, industry, and air traffic partners at MCO, we are helping turn an emerging transportation concept into a safe, practical reality that can strengthen connectivity, create new opportunities, and shape how people move across Florida and beyond,” said Lance Lyttle, CEO of GOAA, in a news release . From Vertipad to Vertiport GOAA said the vertipad, located
