New Flying Taxi Completes First Test Flight. American Airlines Has 250 on Preorder
If flying taxis are your idea of the future, the future is almost here.
The VX4 Flying Taxi -- a short-distance aircraft capable of carrying four passengers up to 100 miles at over 200 mph -- completed its first full-scale piloted test flight Monday, parent company Vertical Aerospace said in a press release.
The flight lasted around 10 minutes and was conducted inside a hangar. Longer flights at higher altitudes are scheduled to take place before the aircraft is released for commercial use.
That's good news for American Airlines, as the company last year agreed to purchase 250 VX4 aircraft and employ them to shuttle passengers to and from airports by 2025. American made a $25 million investment in Vertical Aerospace. Last month, United Airlines similarly made a $10 million predelivery payment with Archer Aviation for 100 electric flying taxis.
Complementary to the investment in quick, short-distance travel, American Airlines also recently agreed to purchase 20 supersonic aircraft for high-speed, trans-oceanic flights. United Airlines reportedly agreed to purchase 15 of the same aircraft. The supersonic aircraft are slated to hit runways in 2029, four years after the VX4 Flying Taxi is expected to carry its first passengers.
No word yet as to which airports may see the new aircraft or what a flight might cost you. American Airlines didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.