Slow progress on FAA certification from Joby

@Yves just making sure: if Beta's ALIA gets certified in the CTOL configuration, this doesn't count as YES, right?

@jgyou Will look into this!

For what it's worth, I don't think it should count as YES.

The CTOL configuration bypasses vertical takeoff specifically to make certification easier and generate revenue for Beta faster.

But it is just a stepping stone to the eVTOL cert, which will be much harder to secure. No one ever built an aircraft that can reliably and safely transition from vertical to horizontal propulsion mid-flight. It will take a lot of testing to convince the FAA.

No way. JOBY is the furthest along and they have barely started Stage 4.

@jgyou how long do the later stages usually take?

@Morgan FAA states that certification of new aircraft types can take 5-9 years. The later stages are the longest because that's when actual testing + review happens. First stages are just paperwork.