Photo: Vertical Aerospace
The crazy world of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is upon us. There are countless companies and organizations working on making them a reality, but few have managed to move past a certain point, crewed flights, with their designs. British company Vertical Aerospace just did.
Vertical’s contraption is called VX4, and it’s meant, like most others, to solve the problem of moving about in crowded cities. Powered by a 1 MW powertrain, it can carry up to five people for distances of 100 miles (161 km) and at speeds of up to 202 mph (325 kph).
The VX4 is currently in prototype stage, but a very advanced one. This week, the company behind it announced it had conducted its first flight with the eVTOL and, most importantly, a pilot was on board for the test.
The test wasn’t exactly a free flight, as the machine lifted off the tarmac in tethered conditions. Eight propellers helped the VX4 take off the ground at hover thrust, keeping it in the air for an undisclosed amount of time and at an undisclosed altitude.
The company says it chose to conduct the flight with a human on board as a means to prove “it could meet the most stringent safety standards.”
“This moment represents a small step for Vertical Aerospace, but it’s a giant leap forward for British aviation. For more than 100 years the UK has been a global leader in aviation and today, in the 21st century, Britain is leading the world in the development of zero carbon aircraft,” said in a statement company’s CEO Stephen Fitzpatrick.
Up next for the machine are several more months of testing, culminating with the reaching of higher altitudes and speeds and, most importantly, making the transition from vertical to horizontal flight.
Vertical hopes to have the VX4 ready for certification in 2025. It says there are already 1,400 orders for it, coming from the likes of Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Air Asia.
The VX4 is currently in prototype stage, but a very advanced one. This week, the company behind it announced it had conducted its first flight with the eVTOL and, most importantly, a pilot was on board for the test.
The test wasn’t exactly a free flight, as the machine lifted off the tarmac in tethered conditions. Eight propellers helped the VX4 take off the ground at hover thrust, keeping it in the air for an undisclosed amount of time and at an undisclosed altitude.
The company says it chose to conduct the flight with a human on board as a means to prove “it could meet the most stringent safety standards.”
“This moment represents a small step for Vertical Aerospace, but it’s a giant leap forward for British aviation. For more than 100 years the UK has been a global leader in aviation and today, in the 21st century, Britain is leading the world in the development of zero carbon aircraft,” said in a statement company’s CEO Stephen Fitzpatrick.
Up next for the machine are several more months of testing, culminating with the reaching of higher altitudes and speeds and, most importantly, making the transition from vertical to horizontal flight.
Vertical hopes to have the VX4 ready for certification in 2025. It says there are already 1,400 orders for it, coming from the likes of Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Air Asia.
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