A new kind of aircraft took to the skies over Tampa Bay Friday, following a route that helped launch commercial aviation 112 years ago.
California-based Joby Aviation flew its piloted, all-electric air taxi from Albert Whitted Airport in downtown St. Petersburg to Tampa International Airport. The demonstration opened a week of flights across Florida designed to test how electric aircraft could become part of the state’s transportation system.
The route carries historical significance. On Jan. 1, 1914, pilot Tony Jannus flew former St. Petersburg Mayor Abe Pheil across Tampa Bay aboard a Benoist flying boat, inaugurating the world’s first scheduled commercial airline service. The St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line charged $5 for a one-way ticket and completed the journey in approximately 23 minutes…