- Skyfly’s Axe VCA has conducted its first test flights in the United States, following a six-month flight test campaign in the United Kingdom.
- The US-based flight test team is led by Elliot Seguin, an experienced test pilot and engineer.
- The next phase of flight testing will look to expand the flight envelope to transitions.
Skyfly’s Axe VCA has flown in the United States for the first time, commencing a new phase of its flight test campaign.
The US team will be led by Elliot Seguin who brings an exceptional combination of both electric and IC (internal combustion) fixed-wing and rotary-wing test experience that makes him ideally suited to continue Skyfly’s flight-envelope expansion.
Elliot’s work at Scaled Composites and multiple Mojave-based experimental programmes over the past 20 years include 22 first flights and 12 world records (6 FAI records). He has around 7,500 hours, including 150 types from ultralights and helicopters to fighters and rocket powered spacecraft, and over 1,500 hours testing on more than 100 programs.
Elliot has been involved in multiple electric aircraft programmes including Beta Technologies and Ampaire which has given him a deep expertise in electric propulsion systems and distributed-electric architectures. At Skyryse, he served as Experimental Test Pilot for fly-by-wire and automation systems on a rotary-wing platform, evaluating handling qualities, control-law behaviour, and safety-critical flight-control integration including piloting the world’s first automated autorotation.
“Elliot’s blend of rotary-wing and fixed-wing knowledge alongside his electric-propulsion flight-test experience makes him an ideal partner for Skyfly as we continue to expand the Axe’s flight envelope. We’re excited not only about his involvement with SN001, but also about what lies ahead as we move toward the next type-conforming airframe. Elliot’s perspective and experience are already helping us refine and improve the aircraft giving us a stronger, safer, and more capable product.”
– Michael Thompson, CEO, Skyfly
Axe SN001 was relocated to the USA earlier in the year to showcase at EAA AirVentures at Oshkosh following months of regular flights in the UK, which included hover testing and forward flight testing. The move enables Skyfly to benefit from improved year-round weather, accelerating its test program. Engineering efforts in the UK continue with SN002 type conforming airframe underway.
For more information visit www.skyfly.aero.
The Axe is available to pre-order via the website: www.skyfly.aero/order.
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