Textron Nexus eVTOL flight testing to commence in 2025
October 9, 2024
Textron eAviation is readying its Nexus eVTOL for the start of flight testing in 2025, with initial tethered hovers in Wichita to be followed by further flights at Kansas’ Salina Regional Airport.
Following restrained flight tests at the National Institute of Aviation Research facility, uncrewed flights at Salina Regional Airport (conducted in collaboration with the Salina Airport Authority) will be “instrumental in validating the aircraft’s full performance envelope,” explained Textron eAviation.
The remotely piloted flight test programme conducted at Salina Regional Airport will evaluate the Nexus eVTOL’s performance under various conditions, simulating a wide range of operational scenarios.
“The support and facilities provided by the Salina Airport Authority are vital as we advance towards bringing the Nexus eVTOL to market,” explained Kriya Shortt, president and CEO of Textron eAviation. Having previously hosted beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations under the FAA’s Integration Pilot Program (IPP) and Beyond programmes, the airport’s expertise in UAS operations – combined with its “broad access to airspace” – make the facility an “ideal location for conducting these pivotal tests”.
Designed for one pilot and four passengers, the Nexus – which is projected to cruise at over 120kts with a range of 100 nautical miles – will also be optimised for a variety of other missions, including air ambulance, law enforcement, cargo and disaster response use profiles.
