The federal government and aviation regulators have officially commenced construction on a new Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) testing complex at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center located in Oklahoma City. Known as the Vertical Takeoff and Landing Procedures and Analysis Range, or V-PAR, this dedicated $8.3 million research facility will focus heavily on evaluating electric and hybrid vertical flight designs.
It aims to provide federal agencies with the necessary infrastructure to safely incorporate next-generation aircraft into the National Airspace System. The site plan incorporates vital operational elements, including specialized takeoff and landing pads, a dedicated taxiway and aircraft apron, electrical charging installations, and an observation building.
Slated for completion in the summer of 2027, the specialized range will support technical research and personnel training across numerous practical aerospace challenges. Key fields of study at the facility will include vertiport operations, emergency response preparation, arrival and departure paths, radio frequency interference, and complex aerodynamic factors like downwash and wake turbulence. Agency officials noted that this new infrastructure directly complements other federal data-gathering initiatives, such as the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP), which collaborates on infrastructure and urban flight projects across more than two dozen states.
For decades, business aircraft manufacturers have pioneered propulsion systems that increase fuel efficiencies. That innovative work is also accelerating the introduction of new eco-friendly aircraft that use hybrid, electric and even hydrogen-powered propulsion.
