With corporate morale and coffers boosted by its recent flotation on the New York Stock Exchange, Joby Aviation is the most upwardly mobile of the new-aircraft developers tracked by SMG Consulting’s Advanced Air Mobility Reality Index (ARI). Now dripping in SPAC-cash, the California start-up tops the index with an 8.4 rating, with some breathing space between it and second-place Beta Technologies.
Climbers in the newly released August ARI include Pipistrel (in the 6th spot), which is working on its Nuuva V300 autonomous eVTOL freighter as well as a family of hybrid-electric or hydrogen-powered regional airliners, and potentially an eVTOL passenger model, too. Other companies increasing their rating are Lilium (8th), Vertical Aerospace (9th), and Elroy Air (13th).
Archer, which is in the process of trying to complete its own SPAC merger and flotation, dropped to 11th in the ratings with a 5.9 ARI score. Sabrewing Aircraft dipped to 16th with a 5.1 score.
SMG’s Reality Index also features some useful graphics tracking factors such as funding levels for the various companies it tracks. Another chart shows the timelines that the contenders are claiming for the projected entry into service of their aircraft.
For the first time, the index’s running tally of orders for the new aircraft includes a so-called eCTOL (electric conventional takeoff and landing) aircraft in the shape of Heart Aerospace’s ES-19 regional airliner, which now has prospective customers—United Airlines and its Mesa Air affiliate.
There is also a fascinating, and colorful, chart tracking the ups and downs of the 20 companies followed by SMG’s analysts.