Latest news with #Sciarra
The Verge
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Joby delivers first aircraft to Dubai as air taxi service nears launch
Joby Aviation is getting ready to take flight. The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company has delivered its first production aircraft to Dubai, where it plans to launch a commercial air taxi service in early 2026. Joby, which has successfully completed multiple flight tests with a pilot onboard, says it has begun in-market testing ahead of the anticipated launch of commercial operations. It's a significant milestone for Joby, which has been developing the technology to power its multi-rotor aircraft since 2009. And its a significant milestone for the fledgling air taxi sector, which has been leaning on hype and promises for the future of air travel to attract investors and potential clients while its aircraft trudge through years of safety testing and certification. Dubai is aiming to become a launchpad for advanced air mobility, granting Joby a six-year exclusive operating agreement last year. The agreement, signed at the World Governments Summit, provides Joby with regulatory and financial support from Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA). The company has said it will begin operations from four planned vertiports, including Dubai International Airport and Palm Jumeirah. It's a significant milestone for Joby, which has been developing the technology to power its multi-rotor aircraft since 2009. In addition to the delivery in Dubai, Joby is also making progress here in the United States. The company is about to begin a process mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration called Type Inspection Authorization (TIA), in which the FAA sends its own pilots to test out Joby's aircraft. TIA signals the final stage of testing before commercial passenger operations can begin. 'In my view,' said Paul Sciarra, chair of Joby's board of directors, in an interview, 'this combination — both the beginnings of commercial service in a big international city, plus the real last lap of the certification program — I think are going to be the two things that gear shifts this in people's mind from, 'Gosh, this is awesome, like, when's it going to show up?' to 'Holy crap, it's happening tomorrow.'' In addition to test flights, the company plans on conducting a series of demonstration flights along the routes it plans on flying. Then it will shift to commercial trips by the end of this year or early next, he said. Sciarra also said the environmental conditions in Dubai present a unique challenge, with average temperatures usually around 110 degrees. Maintaining reliable air conditioning in the aircraft will be crucial for passenger comfort, he said. And there are a lot more 'boxes to check' before commercial flights can commence, including training on-the-ground mechanics and flight crews. 'I think we're getting ever closer to that moment when people are going to be able to go to a place and book a flight on this service, or see these aircraft flying over a place that they're familiar with,' Sciarra said. 'That's not years away. That's like months away at this point.' Joby's all-electric aircraft has six rotors and seats five, including the pilot. The vehicle can take off vertically, like a helicopter, and then shift into forward flight using tilt rotors. Joby says it can reach a top speed of 200mph, travel 150 miles on a single battery charge, and is 100 times quieter than a conventional aircraft. Its pouch-style lithium-ion batteries power the craft's six electric motors for at least 10,000 flight cycles, according to Joby's founder JoeBen Bevirt. Joby is also ramping up manufacturing, making it the first eVTOL maker to deliver multiple production aircraft. The company now has five aircraft in its test fleet, including a hybrid hydrogen-electric variant. A second aircraft was recently delivered to the US Air Force as part of its ongoing defense partnerships. Joby has received approximately $1 billion in outside investment, including $750 million from Toyota. Still, the company has struggled to meet financial expectations, reporting $0 in revenue in the first quarter of 2025. Joby is hoping Dubai will set the stage for its inevitable launch in the US, including key markets like New York, Los Angeles, and Florida. And as its manufacturing facility in Dayton, Ohio, starts churning out more aircraft, the company expects that it will really take flight. 'The broader external question,' Sciarra said, 'is how many markets can we credibly address in this near term?'
Vancouver Sun
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
What kind of fan turnout is expected for Ottawa Redblacks' home opener?
Anticipation is growing for the Ottawa Redblacks' home opener against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday. 'It's going to be a good crowd,' team president Adrian Sciarra said Wednesday. 'We're crossing 20,000 (in ticket sales) today, with two days still to go.' Last season, with three of their nine home games hit hard by rain, the Redblacks reported an average attendance of 18,925 at TD Place, which lists a capacity of 24,000. That was up slightly from 2023 but was still the second lowest in the CFL, ahead of only the 15,127 that turned out for Toronto Argos home games. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. While season-ticket numbers are generally not reported throughout the league, Sciarra said the Redblacks' base is 'on the way back, but still has a ways to go.' 'Our renewals from season-seat members last year were just under 90 per cent, which is excellent,' he said. 'And obviously we've sold new season seats as well, so that base is growing again. Our group sales business, our casual sales, are both really strong and have a good start to the year.' The Redblacks are doing what they can to make fans forget about the lean years from 2019-2023, when the team had a 14-54 overall record, both on and off the field. In 2024, the team adopted a 'Bullies on Bank Street' mentality and backed it up with the CFL's best home record at 7-1-1. From a promotional standpoint, the Redblacks are also continually raising their game. Along with a a pre-game party featuring a live band and $6 beers for the hour-and-a-half from the time the doors open to kickoff, there's a $5 'fan-friendly menu' that launches this season, and what Sciarra called 'some new things as part of our in-game experience fans will see when they get here.' There's also a $100,000 'guaranteed jackpot' for Friday's 50-50 draw. But, of course, nothing brings people back to the stadium like winning football. 'We're super excited for the home kickoff to the season, and getting the team back on the field, and our fans back at TD Place for the start of the regular season,' said Sciarra. 'Our expectations are high. We've got what we believe to be a really strong team, and we're just excited to get out there and get these games going.'
Ottawa Citizen
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
What kind of fan turnout is expected for Ottawa Redblacks' home opener?
Article content Anticipation is growing for the Ottawa Redblacks' home opener against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday. Article content 'It's going to be a good crowd,' team president Adrian Sciarra said Wednesday. 'We're crossing 20,000 (in ticket sales) today, with two days still to go.' Article content Last season, with three of their nine home games hit hard by rain, the Redblacks reported an average attendance of 18,925 at TD Place, which lists a capacity of 24,000. Article content Article content That was up slightly from 2023 but was still the second lowest in the CFL, ahead of only the 15,127 that turned out for Toronto Argos home games. Article content While season-ticket numbers are generally not reported throughout the league, Sciarra said the Redblacks' base is 'on the way back, but still has a ways to go.' Article content 'Our renewals from season-seat members last year were just under 90 per cent, which is excellent,' he said. 'And obviously we've sold new season seats as well, so that base is growing again. Our group sales business, our casual sales, are both really strong and have a good start to the year.' Article content Article content The Redblacks are doing what they can to make fans forget about the lean years from 2019-2023, when the team had a 14-54 overall record, both on and off the field. Article content In 2024, the team adopted a 'Bullies on Bank Street' mentality and backed it up with the CFL's best home record at 7-1-1. Article content Article content From a promotional standpoint, the Redblacks are also continually raising their game. Article content Article content Along with a a pre-game party featuring a live band and $6 beers for the hour-and-a-half from the time the doors open to kickoff, there's a $5 'fan-friendly menu' that launches this season, and what Sciarra called 'some new things as part of our in-game experience fans will see when they get here.' Article content There's also a $100,000 'guaranteed jackpot' for Friday's 50-50 draw. Article content 'We're super excited for the home kickoff to the season, and getting the team back on the field, and our fans back at TD Place for the start of the regular season,' said Sciarra. 'Our expectations are high. We've got what we believe to be a really strong team, and we're just excited to get out there and get these games going.' Article content Article content
Calgary Herald
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
What kind of fan turnout is expected for Ottawa Redblacks' home opener?
Article content Anticipation is growing for the Ottawa Redblacks' home opener against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday. Article content 'It's going to be a good crowd,' team president Adrian Sciarra said Wednesday. 'We're crossing 20,000 (in ticket sales) today, with two days still to go.' Article content Last season, with three of their nine home games hit hard by rain, the Redblacks reported an average attendance of 18,925 at TD Place, which lists a capacity of 24,000. Article content 'Our renewals from season-seat members last year were just under 90 per cent, which is excellent,' he said. 'And obviously we've sold new season seats as well, so that base is growing again. Our group sales business, our casual sales, are both really strong and have a good start to the year.' Article content Article content The Redblacks are doing what they can to make fans forget about the lean years from 2019-2023, when the team had a 14-54 overall record, both on and off the field. Article content In 2024, the team adopted a 'Bullies on Bank Street' mentality and backed it up with the CFL's best home record at 7-1-1. Article content Article content From a promotional standpoint, the Redblacks are also continually raising their game. Article content Article content Along with a a pre-game party featuring a live band and $6 beers for the hour-and-a-half from the time the doors open to kickoff, there's a $5 'fan-friendly menu' that launches this season, and what Sciarra called 'some new things as part of our in-game experience fans will see when they get here.' Article content 'We're super excited for the home kickoff to the season, and getting the team back on the field, and our fans back at TD Place for the start of the regular season,' said Sciarra. 'Our expectations are high. We've got what we believe to be a really strong team, and we're just excited to get out there and get these games going.' Article content Article content
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
An early Joby Aviation backer might soon be its biggest distributor in Saudi Arabia
Joby Aviation has reached a tentative deal with investor and Saudi Arabian conglomerate Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) to distribute up to 200 electric aircraft valued at about $1 billion over the coming years. If finalized, the partnership could provide Joby with a fast path to monetizing its electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles in Saudi Arabia. 'A question that folks have asked is, how are you going to monetize, and how quickly is that going to happen?' Paul Sciarra, the executive chairman of Joby's board who's most known for co-founding Pinterest, told TechCrunch. 'And I think what this shows is that with direct sales, there is a way to get to scale earlier for lower cost by thinking about distributor partners in given geographies. And this is the first of what we hope are a number of announcements on that front.' The two companies on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore a distribution agreement. And while an MoU is not exactly a signed and sealed deal, sources familiar with the agreement say they'll be able to share more concrete details later this year. The deal would be among the first instances of an eVTOL startup landing a distributor partner for their aircraft. Joby also plans to own and operate its own aircraft in the U.S. and other markets, and partner with airlines and other carriers in countries like Japan. Sciarra said ALJ is an ideal partner for a number of reasons, including the fact that the company's relationship with Toyota — which just closed the first $250 million tranche of its total $500 million investment into Joby — runs deep. ALJ became the exclusive distributor of Toyota in Saudi Arabia in 1955 and grew to be one of the world's largest independent Toyota and Lexus distributors. ALJ also participated in Joby's 2020 Toyota-led Series C funding round. Beyond their mutual ties, Sciarra says ALJ has 'a lot of the infrastructure on the ground, not only for the sales process, but also for the support, pilot training, and maintenance.' 'That's all going to be critical to actually making sure that the sales are not just cut, but are successful over the long arc,' Sciarra told TechCrunch. He noted that as an 80-year-old network of diversified businesses, ALJ is also close with the Saudi Arabian government and a number of potential customers, including restoration and tourism projects like the Red Sea Project and the AlUla Project. Despite the promising partnership in Saudi Arabia, Joby's go-to-market strategy will still be to launch in Dubai next year, with a U.S. market to follow. 'What this shows is how we deepen the funnel beyond some of the initial markets,' Sciarra said. 'And this sort of structure, where we find the right local partner that can help us sell and support, is going to be a way that we get to geographies that may not be first on our list, but allow us to monetize them more quickly.' Joby's deal with AFJ comes amid unprecedented levels of cooperation between the U.S. government and Saudi Arabia in the realms of AI, technology infrastructure, and energy. Last month, Saudi Arabian firm DataVolt agreed to invest $20 billion in AI data centers and energy infrastructure in the U.S., and American tech giants like Google, Oracle, Salesforce, AMD, and Uber have pledged $80 billion toward transformative technologies in both countries, according to the White House.
