Joby Aviation announced Tuesday (December 3) its flight academy has received an FAA Part 141 certificate – and its air operations voluntary Safety Management System (SMS) has been accepted by the federal agency. The Part 141 certificate will enable “streamlined” pilot training, setting up a pipeline of qualified aircrew members for Joby’s planned Part 135 commercial air operations.
The FAA accepting the Part 5 voluntary SMS is seen as advancing Santa Cruz, California-based Joby’s safety culture, since Part 135 operators still have several years to comply with the SMS mandate. The makeup of the SMS incorporates “clear safety policies and procedures as well as a culture that prioritizes safety and encourages team members to report safety concerns,” according to Joby.
Bonny Simi, President of Operations at Joby, said, “As a former airline pilot, I’m particularly looking forward to seeing our Flight Academy grow in both courses and students in the coming years as we offer highly competitive prices and strong training curricula that position graduates for success in the industry. We are also building a strong safety foundation for our planned operations with the FAA acceptance of our Safety Management System governing air operations under our Part 135 operation, Joby Elevate.”
