en.Wedoany.com Reported - The third and final prototype of the VX4 project, G-EVTB, completed its maiden flight at Kemble Airport in the UK, enabling Vertical Aerospace to accelerate its flight test campaign.

The flight test took place on June 5 at Vertical's flight test center at Kemble Airport in southwest England, with Paul Stone serving as the test pilot.

According to Vertical, the test flight lasted 1 minute and 54 seconds, with the aircraft hovering at approximately 5 feet and performing brief maneuvers including lateral and longitudinal translation.

Since late last year, Vertical had repeatedly previewed this test milestone, but it was delayed multiple times due to severe winter weather in the UK and other reasons.

With G-EVTB airborne, Vertical now has two manned prototypes undergoing simultaneous testing. Previously, the company only had one unmanned prototype (G-EVTL), which was written off in an accident in 2023.

After completing envelope expansion, G-EVTB will be equipped with a hybrid-electric power system, part of Vertical's technology roadmap for long-range applications.

Vertical is also concurrently advancing the development of the four-seat production model Valo eVTOL, the final variant the company plans to bring to market.

Valo is scheduled to undergo a critical design review in the coming months, with first flight targeted for 2027.

Although the VX4 and Valo are different aircraft types, their overall architecture, systems, and features are "highly consistent," and Vertical believes this commonality helps reduce certification risk.

A total of seven pre-production aircraft are designated for Valo certification activities, including five flight test aircraft and two ground test assets.

Vertical also plans to conduct a flight demonstration of the VX4 at the upcoming Farnborough Airshow.

Another manned prototype, G-EVTA, continues testing and completed a bidirectional transition in April this year.

This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com