The United States Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have broken ground on a new facility at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City to support research, training and operational analysis for advanced air mobility aircraft.
The Vertical Take-Off and Landing Procedures and Analysis Range (V-PAR) will provide a dedicated environment for the FAA and its partners to conduct research on vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, including electric and hybrid designs.
The approximately USD 8.3 million range will include a vertiport, a covered hangar and a small control centre building. It is expected to support a range of advanced air mobility research and training activities, including studies on wake separation, downwash and outwash, radiofrequency interference and vertiport operations.
The construction contract was awarded to Maguire O’Hara Construction in March 2026 and the facility is scheduled for completion in Summer 2027. The FAA says future expansion may include additional landing sites, expanded charging capability, a secondary vertipad and a short takeoff and landing runway, as well as other infrastructure.
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Image: FAA