Vertical Aerospace has announced that it has completed ‘phase 1’ testing of the second prototype of the VX-4 eVTOL. According to the company, phase 1 consisted of 20 piloted tethered test flights with a combined 70 test points and 35,000 flight parameters, including a number of failure modes, notably an ‘engine out’ scenario with one of the aircraft’s Electric Propulsion Units (EPU) shut off.
Alongside Phase 1 testing, Vertical’s engineers also completed more low and high-speed taxi tests, including deliberately failing EPUs at high taxi speeds to confirm controllability.
The company is working with the UK CAA to expand its VX-4 Permit to Fly to allow it to begin phase 2 – thrust-borne flight – which will be followed by the wing-borne trials. In this third phase, the aircraft will be flown as a CTOL with runway take-offs and landings to examine test points in the cruise configuration before moving to thrust-to-wing-borne and wing-to-thrust-borne transitions in the fourth and final phase.
In addition, Vertical is currently building an identical full-scale prototype, which will accelerate the VX4’s flight test programme and demonstration capability.
Commenting on the announcement, the CEO of Vertical Aerospace, Stuart Simpson, said: “It took us just one week to go from our first ground test to our Chief Test Pilot flying the VX4, and we have been making outstanding progress since then. We continue to prove the safety and performance of our design and technology, which we believe to be market-leading. Completing this first phase of testing is a significant feat for any eVTOL company and shows the strength of our aircraft, team, and our partners as we progress through our flight test programme and head towards our goal of creating a better way to travel.”
Photo: Vertical Aerospace
