An historical day for aviation

by Maria Becce, Chairperson-LaGuardia Airport Committee Co-Chairperson, New York Community Aviation Roundtable (NYCAR)

Photo credit: Maria Becce

On Monday, April 27, 2026, New Yorkers experienced an historic day for aviation with a first ever test flight of the JOBY e-VTOL from John F. Kennedy International Airport to East 34 Street heliport (soon to be vertiport) in Manhattan. The momentous occasion did not disappoint.  It was absolutely thrilling and marks the beginning of a new era of cleaner and significantly quieter aviation.  The future is here!

The e-VTOL test flight was escorted, for safety requirements, by a traditional VERY noisy helicopter which made it impossible to listen exclusively to the JOBY vehicle. However, the representative from JOBY said the vehicle was 100 times quieter than a helicopter and this was confirmed by the FAA.  Once in the air, the representative called the sound, if you can hear it at all, “like the sound of leaves in the wind.” The e-VTOL is undergoing final certification by the FAA.

For these and other reasons, it is my opinion that e-VTOL aircraft, which will initially follow existing helicopter routes in New York City, will be extremely beneficial to current communities experiencing the horrible and unhealthy noise of traditional helicopters. However, what we must continue to keep in mind is the potential over-crowding of the nation’s skies with not only commercial and general aviation airport operations, but e-VTOL (Advanced Air Mobility AAM) and delivery drones.  The FAA is tasked with the safe integration of all these vehicles in the airspace, but it also affords an opportunity for municipalities to get ahead with sensible zoning regulations and vertiport locations. 

Concerning noise and air quality, the JOBY e-VTOL promises to be a significant improvement to communities impacted by helicopter traffic and excessive noise.  For aviation tech nerds like me, it was a goosebump moment. JOBY’s repeated mentions of both safety and quietness was something aviation impacted communities have been longing to hear for many years.  In the words of the late Dr. Arline Bronzaft, today’s test flight restored respect to people on the ground.  I am hopeful that today’s initial optimism will only increase over time.  Our impacted communities across the country deserve nothing less.