Leading a new era of aviation

A vertiport is a little like an airport, but it's for the next generation of flight, and specifically something we call Advanced Air Mobility. We are standing on one of the first FAA-approved vertiports in the country. We have a 730-acre advanced testing facility that allows us to test all sorts of transportation systems in order to really unlock regional air flight at lower elevations than were typically used in commercial flight. What we're unlocking is the potential to bring the aircraft right to where the human needs to start their travel or where goods need to be moved. We can really bring flights to places that you don't typically think of as being possible. Advanced Air Mobility aircraft will really change how we see aviation today. What we're doing here is helping the state of Virginia become prepared with the infrastructure needed to accommodate those aircraft and enable people and goods to get from point A to point B in a safe manner. We're building that infrastructure to make that possible.

research 1:03 Leading a new era of aviation

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Virginia Tech News

10 Sep 2026 553

What if air travel started in your community instead of at a traditional airport? This video explores the world of Advanced Air Mobility and the role vertiports will play in making next generation flight a reality. Located at one of the first FAA-approved vertiports in the United States, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership is collaborating with Textron Systems to pave the way for a new era of transportation. As Virginia prepares for a new era of flight, researchers are working to create safe, accessible transportation solutions that connect people and goods in ways that were previously unimaginable.

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