Why Joby Ohio chose Dayton for its $477.5M air taxi plant

Joby Aviation Inc. will build a $477.5 million plant at the Dayton International Airport to build electric air taxis. The move will create about 2,000 high tech jobs.

Monday morning, representatives from Joby along with state and municipal leaders and the economic development group, JobsOhio, announced the project in the front lawn of the Historic Wright Brothers' Manson in Oakwood.

Joby's new Ohio facility will build, test and fly all-electric, vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxis that will predominantly be used for commercial passenger transportation. The manufacturing site will be 140-acres at the Dayton International Airport. Already there's a flight training simulator at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport.

A pilot will carry four passengers about one hundred miles. The aircraft is extremely quiet, produces zero emissions and flies at a speed of about 200 miles per hour. Clients will order the air taxi similar to how people order an Uber.