The promising American aircraft Celera 500L, developed by Otto Aviation, took its first flight. According to The Drive, the plane took off in Victorville, California. As the newspaper notes, this flight may have been the first, but it is not known for sure, as the development of the aircraft is carried out in the strictest secrecy.
Details about the Celera 500L flight tests are unknown. The aircraft took off in early November, and ground tests have probably taken place since June of this year.
The Celera 500L is believed to have been under development for the past ten years. The prospective aircraft has an experimental registration of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration N818WM. The aircraft has a fuselage made in the form of a bullet or bomb.
The Celera 500L is designed according to the classic aircraft design. A turboprop engine with a five-bladed propeller is installed in the tail section of the aircraft. The engine’s air intakes are brought to the top of the tail of the fuselage. The wing endings are slightly deflected up.
The flight characteristics of the Celera 500L are not disclosed. The experimental model of the aircraft is not equipped with portholes, so it is difficult to understand its purpose. The Celera 500L is probably being developed for business aviation. But it can also be an experimental device in the program to develop ways to improve the aerodynamics of aircraft and their economy.
In the spring of this year, the South African company Pegasus Universal Aerospace began to develop a business aircraft VBJ with vertical take-off and landing, which will be able to use standard helipads on city buildings and private yachts.
