The U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration broke ground June 25 on a new advanced air mobility research facility designed to support the testing, training, and operational analysis of advanced air mobility aircraft in the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, the agency’s primary training, research and certification hub.
With construction scheduled for completion in summer 2027, the facility, called the Vertical Take-Off and Landing Procedures and Analysis Range, or V-PAR, will provide a dedicated environment for research involving vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, including electric and hybrid designs.
Construction was awarded in March 2026 to Maguire O'Hara Construction for $8.3 million, following a design contract awarded in summer 2024 to C.H. Guernsey, with Heliplanners providing vertiport expertise. Congress initially appropriated $6 million for the project in spring 2024.
The initial buildout will include a touchdown and liftoff area, a taxiway, a verticraft apron with two parking spaces, a covered verticraft shelter, an observation and operations facility, electric aircraft charging capability, and supporting infrastructure for air and ground operations.
Research and training activities at V-PAR will encompass vertiport operations, arrival and departure routes, wake turbulence, downwash and outwash, radiofrequency interference, airspace and operational procedures, and emergency planning and flow simulations.
"The V-PAR is a critical step in helping the FAA better understand how to integrate advanced air mobility aircraft safely into the National Airspace System," said DOT Deputy Secretary Steven Bradbury. "This facility will strengthen our ability to conduct research, train people, and support the future of aviation."
FAA Deputy Administrator Chris Rocheleau said the agency must ensure advanced air mobility technologies meet the same safety standards required across the National Airspace System. "The V-PAR will help us gather the data and operational insights needed to support their safe integration into the nation's airspace," he said.
The project follows growing federal investment in AAM, as earlier this year the FAA selected eight proposals under the White House-backed eVTOL Integration Pilot Program spanning 26 states to test next-generation aircraft and develop frameworks for safe AAM operations in the NAS. Airspace integration has emerged as one of the sector's central challenges, with regulators and operators working to develop the procedures and infrastructure needed to safely accommodate VTOL traffic at scale.
Industry players are also working to address airspace integration challenges. In April, Joby Aviation and Air Space Intelligence announced a partnership to accelerate AAM integration into the National Airspace System, combining Joby's electric air taxi with ASI's Flyways AI platform. Initial results from the partnership's live operational exercises are expected by the end of 2026.
V-PAR is located on the west side of the MMAC campus, adjacent to Will Rogers World Airport and near existing radar and aviation infrastructure. Future expansions may include additional landing sites, expanded charging capability, a secondary vertipad, and a short takeoff and landing runway.
