LOS ANGELES, April 24, 2026, 06:55 PDT
- Reuben Brothers and Joby are teaming up to build a vertiport at Park Elm Residences, part of Century Plaza in Los Angeles.
- The plan calls for using the helipad that’s already there, then building out charging stations and a lounge for passengers.
- Joby is still chasing commercial certification, and the plan remains subject to approval at the local, state, and federal levels.
Reuben Brothers is teaming up with Joby Aviation to bring an air-taxi vertiport to Park Elm Residences at Century Plaza, right in the heart of Los Angeles. The move would offer the electric aircraft company a residential foothold in one of the nation’s busiest metro areas. Plans call for using the South Tower’s helipad for both operations and charging, the companies said.
This matters for Joby, as the focus is turning from flight tests and ticking off regulatory boxes to the more complex next phase: constructing actual sites for passenger service. A vertiport, in this context, refers to a compact facility where electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft—eVTOLs—can pick up and drop off riders. These battery-powered aircraft are built to lift off vertically like a helicopter, then transition to flying forward like a plane.
Reuben Brothers said people living in the greater Los Angeles area will be able to book Joby flights, chopping some two-hour-plus drives down to just “as short as five minutes” by air. Joby is eyeing a dedicated passenger lounge for the site, taking cues from Blade—its urban air mobility arm that already runs lounges in New York and the South of France. PR Newswire
Rob Wiesenthal, who heads up Joby’s Blade Air Mobility division, described the Century City location as “ideally positioned” for launching a broader Los Angeles network, beginning with airport routes. Jordana Yechiel, director of residential design for Reuben Brothers, pointed to air-taxi access as a perk for residents, linked to growing vertiport coverage throughout the city. Joby Aero, Inc.
There’s no green light for the service yet. Joby and Reuben Brothers said they’re still waiting on a stack of approvals—local, state, and federal. Joby’s set to take on everything from building the vertiport and lounge to running the site, managing flights, and handling the customer side.
The clock is ticking for Joby on the regulatory front. Last month, Reuters said the company began flying its first certification test aircraft—a move toward type inspection authorization, where FAA pilots scrutinize the craft ahead of a commercial green light.
The race is tight. Back in March, the FAA and Department of Transportation tapped eight pilot projects spanning 26 states for the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program. Among the chosen: Joby, appearing in several projects alongside Archer Aviation and BETA Technologies. According to the FAA, information from these pilots will feed directly into future rules for advanced air mobility operations.
Joby’s Los Angeles announcement caps a week packed with filings. On Wednesday, the company told investors it will deliver first-quarter 2026 results after markets shut on May 5, with a webcast scheduled for 5 p.m. ET.
Joby’s president of Aircraft OEM, Didier Papadapoulos, is stepping down July 3, according to a separate filing. After five years at the helm of aircraft development, Papadapoulos is departing without any dispute or disagreement, the filing noted. Joby expects him to continue on in an advisory role.
Still, the negative scenario is straightforward: revenue could be pushed further out if approvals lag, certification faces hiccups, or initial demand disappoints—and extra capital requirements would only add pressure. Joby has flagged several risks: the challenge of actually launching service, hitting production targets and schedules, adapting to regulatory shifts, and securing enough funding down the line.
Joby edged up 7 cents to $8.56 early Friday in New York, valuing the company near $7.2 billion. Archer traded higher as well. Shares of Vertical Aerospace dipped a bit.
