A little over a week after the aircraft’s unveiling, Vertical Aerospace has conducted the maiden sortie of its latest VX4 prototype (G-EVTA).
Taking place at the manufacturer’s test facility at Cotswold airport in southwest England late on the afternoon of 25 July, the piloted sortie saw the vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft conduct a low hover to test handling qualities and system performance.
Following initial tethered flights, and with permission from the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the VX4’s flight envelope will be progressively expanded.
Thrustborne flights will be followed by conventional wingborne take-offs and landings, culminating in a transition between the two – the most critical flight phase for any eVTOL.
Stuart Simpson, chief executive of Vertical Aerospace, says: “The first tethered flight of our new VX4 prototype is the result of 14 months of hard work – taking this advanced aircraft all the way from design, through to development and now into the air.
“This moment is testament to the skill and commitment of hundreds of talented colleagues in our business who have made our VX4 aircraft the best eVTOL out there.”
Vertical’s previous prototype was written off after a flight-test mishap in August last year after a propeller blade failed.
Featuring substantial improvements over its predecessor – including second-generation propellers and in-house battery packs – the latest iteration of the VX4 will be joined by a second identical prototype by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Vertical is aiming for certification and service entry of the VX4 in late 2026.
