https://www.msn.com/en-ca/travel/news/vertical-aerospace-s-vx4-evtol-flies-for-the-first-time/ar-AA12gG8u?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=3cfa90228a4e4048a73be1db4264e87aElectric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles are set to change the urban mobility landscape as we have known it for the past century. The motley market is slowly crystallizing into the front-runners with significant orders and far-progressed machines on the one hand and the startups that may be falling behind on the other. One of the foremost contenders with orders from American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, and AirAsia, among others, is Vertical Aerospace. Over the weekend, the company saw its VX4 aircraft take off from the ground for the very first time.
For safety reasons, the aircraft was tethered to the ground as its eight sets of aerodynamic propellers lifted it five feet from the ground at hover-thrust. This was the fourth stage of Vertical's six-stage flight test program and will be followed soon by low-speed flight at 50 feet.
The following and final stage will be transition and envelope extension at 5,000 - 10,000 feet. According to Vertical Aerospace, this full-scale piloted prototype is the first British-made aircraft to be launched in the last 20 years. The company is aiming for certification by 2025.
Vertical Aerospace's Chief Test Pilot, Justin Paines, said,
“This test represented the culmination of many months preparation by a huge team and being at the controls of the VX4 for the first time was an honour and a proud moment for us all.”
The VX4 lifted from the ground for the first time over the weekend. Photo: Vertical Aerospace E-vehicles getting nearer and nearer.
