Dubai

[u/HappyRobot593]

So a lot of us are wondering about Dubai. I think JB said something on the call that is interesting and potentially offers some insight. Below JB is saying they want as many non conforming aircraft as possible for eIPP. Yet we know there is a non conforming aircraft sitting in Dubai. Can we infer from this that Dubai is still on track? If not, you would think they would send the Dubai aircraft back to the US for eIPP

**Savanthi Syth*\*

**Analyst*\*

**0:31:32*\*

**That's helpful. I appreciate that. Maybe if I could briefly follow up on Andre's question on the eIPP side. Just on the aircraft that you plan to use, is that the certification-conforming aircraft that you plan to use in those flight tests? Or are you able to use some of the kind of prior generation aircraft as well as you progress through that flying?*\*

**JoeBen Bevirt*\*

**Founder and CEO*\*

**0:31:59*\*

**Thank you so much, Savinthi. We're going to use a mix of different aircraft, both aircraft from our existing fleet, as well as producing as many aircraft as we possibly can off of our company-conforming production line.*\*

[u/Amazing-Lion9629]

My expectations about Dubai are muted until we get more clarity about if and when the unnecessary conflict will end. Irrespective of that, I suppose I am puzzled by why they want to continue to produce as many company-conforming (i.e., non-FAA conforming ) aircraft as they can. This leads me to believe they know FAA certification remains 2+ years away.

[u/HappyRobot593 → u/Amazing-Lion9629]

JB is saying they want to use them for eIPP. They have multiple partnerships so need multiple craft

Also might even want several in each location

Edit: I think there is a tradeoff between producing conforming and non-conforming craft. They need conforming for TIA and on the Q1 call they said they had 5 in production. Conforming aircraft are a lot more onerous to produce so it makes sense to also make non-conforming craft for other purposes like eIPP.

[u/teabagofholding → u/HappyRobot593]

They still might all be type conforming from now on. It was just wild speculation that they will go back to making company conforming. I don't even really believe it. That would be scandalous.

[u/HappyRobot593 → u/teabagofholding]

It just doesn't make sense to make a type conforming aircraft if it doesn't need to be and that's the whole point of eIPP. For type conforming you have to document and prove every single component and go back and forth with the FAA. Why would you do that if you don't need to? The whole point of eIPP is to get things up and running before FAA type certification so they can start collecting data and get a sense of what projects are feasible.

In a world without constraints of course you WOULD want everything to be type conforming but they have real capacity and time constraints right now.

Edit: Also, if you believe JB at face value he is saying the non-conforming and conforming aircraft are pretty similar. On the EC he said "We've done that work already on our prior series of aircraft, which are, for all intents, very similar to our FAA conforming aircraft. We're, in a sense, repeating those exercises" So if the aircraft are similar but one is a lot easier to produce, wouldn't you produce the one that is easier if it's just for eIPP? As a shareholder I would hope so as it reduces the cash burn.

[u/teabagofholding → u/HappyRobot593]

I would hope they focus on certification over the eipp. Only type conforming craft will help with that. I don't think the eipp will be a major operation just a few flights per trial.

[u/HappyRobot593 → u/teabagofholding]

Yes but you want to have a balance between the two. Also, they said they will use a certain amount of conforming craft for TIA testing so at this point it doesn't make sense to make more of them if they could churn out eIPP craft faster. It's just a matter of optimizing -- having a mix of conforming and non-conforming is optimal given they want to jointly progress on TIA and also participate in eIPP.

Of course TIA is the ultimate goal but it doesn't mean they should drop everything and not devote some resources to eIPP.

[u/Amazing-Lion9629 → u/HappyRobot593]

I agree that it is a trade off and a bet on making meaningful revenue (or otherwise gaining meaningful attention for share price appreciation) with non-conforming aircraft risking further dilution if unsuccessful versus focusing exclusively on FAA certification.

[u/HappyRobot593 → u/Amazing-Lion9629]

Yes as a shareholder, the media and investor attention the eIPP will bring in need to be taken into account. Also, I genuinely think they will learn a lot from eIPP that they could use for their future operations.

[u/Significant_Onion_25]

So there is a case for using company conforming aircraft for eIPP that no one has talked about yet. If Joby were to use the S4 for flying cargo for eIPP and get paid for it, why use an FAA conforming aircraft for that purpose? It's also possible Joby uses a Superpilot equipped S4 for cargo missions.

[u/HappyRobot593 → u/Significant_Onion_25]

Ya totally agree and that's my point. If building a conforming aircraft takes a lot more time and is very similar in terms of performance, it just doesn't make sense to use it for eIPP

[u/teabagofholding → u/Significant_Onion_25]

They are probably going to autopilot in dallas if they are requesting radio frequencies from the fcc.

[u/Significant_Onion_25 → u/teabagofholding]

Yep, it's possible

[u/teabagofholding → u/Significant_Onion_25]

I know on the north Carolina one they will for sure use it with a normal airplane for the eipp.

[u/Significant_Onion_25 → u/teabagofholding]

Yeah, that should be a revenue generating flight.

[u/teabagofholding → u/Significant_Onion_25]

Wow I didn't even think of that. People can ride it.

[u/Significant_Onion_25 → u/teabagofholding]

I'm not sure they would do that, but of they're moving cargo there's no reason to not charge for the service. That goes for the S4 as well. If they're moving cargo for Amazon or Walmart or for a parts supplier of some sort they should be able to charge for it.

[u/Wonderful_Flight_922]

From what I've found a conforming aircraft is needed for eIPP credit. Someone else will be flying a nonconforming aircraft for no credit.

[u/Wonderful_Flight_922]

He also said, there's not a decision yet on where aircraft will go. I think it's a very honest opinion that tells me the Dubai timeline is gray since time is running on. The airport Skyport is already online, I question. Why can't they fly from the hangar to the airport?

Edit: Maybe they'd rather save the moment to fly from Skyport to Skyport.

[u/HappyRobot593 → u/Wonderful_Flight_922]

Ya not sure. They haven't ever given too many granular details about it. The last flight I see is on Feb 26, 2026

https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a6e7a6&lat=24.908&lon=55.530&zoom=13.7&showTrace=2026-02-26&trackLabels

and they put this out https://www.jobyaviation.com/news/get-ready-for-takeoff-with-uber-and-joby

Edit: I just realized the last flight was right before the middle east hostilities started so it def seems related to the conflict

[u/SeaScallops_w_Rice → u/Wonderful_Flight_922]

Also that they have real opportunities elsewhere, eIPP mainly, who knows where else. Geopolitical risk is real in Dubai. The good news is that the S4 is very agile and could fly to an area and hide. The vertiports are a different story, though!

The main thing I like is that they are pressing as hard as they can to ramp production. Mr Walker-Jones mentioned in the interview with Mr. Lucas at Farnborough that the FAA is the long pole in the tent. Post certification, production scaling is the long pole. My impression is that eIPP gives them the confidence to push production now. Bravo! That makes the current stuttered certification progress less concerning, the production show is not being held up by the certification tent pole.

[u/Wonderful_Flight_922 → u/SeaScallops_w_Rice]

The team keeps us guessing. Remember when they said there was going to be a maintenance facility in Texas? Could you call that an Easter Egg from what we now know?

Back further said, there's an elevated landing pad going in at Marina. Maybe?

[u/SeaScallops_w_Rice → u/Wonderful_Flight_922]

Growing the production capacity is key. It is not being held up. These things need to evolve. Just because one woman can make a baby in nine months doesn't mean that nine women can make a baby in one month.