See inside the flying taxis American Airlines and Virgin want to use to carry 4 passengers on 30-minute flights between airports and across cities

Vertical Aerospace hopes big windows will keep passengers entertained during flights.Stephen Jones / Business Insider

• Vertical Aerospace's VX4 flying taxi has been preordered by American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.
• Insider got a look inside a mock up of what the taxis will look like at this year's Farnborough Airshow.

Flying taxis, once the stuff of science fiction, could very soon become a reality as major plane makers, airlines and startups pump millions into the development of their own versions of electrically powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs).

Vertical Aerospace

See inside Embraer's 4-seat electric flying taxi that could be shuttling passengers between airports and city centers by 2026

The VX4, the eVTOL being developed by British startup Vertical Aerospace, has proved particularly popular, having received preorders from American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, alongside a number of helicopter firms, private jet companies, and hotel operators despite not yet being certified.

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American Airlines has ordered 250 electric flying taxis to ferry passengers around cities at speeds of up to 200 mph. Take a look at the VX4.

The company unveiled its first, full-scale mockup of the VX4 at the Farnborough International Airshow in July.

Vertical Aerospace hopes big windows will keep passengers entertained during flights.      Stephen Jones / Business Insider

The mockup can't fly, but it gives customers and their future passengers an idea of what flying in the cabin could feel like, Eduardo Dominguez Puerta, Vertical Aerospace's chief commercial officer told Insider in an interview.

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Puerta said the company wants to give passengers a "premium experience" during flights. "They need to not just be transported but feel the experience, which has a huge element of novelty," he said.

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Most flights will likely last somewhere between 15 minutes and half an hour, Puerta said. Airlines like American plan to use the craft for transfers between transport hubs and surrounding urban areas, Puerta said.

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The VX4 will be able to seat four passengers and one pilot. Insider got to sit inside the 1.9 meter long by 1.6 meter wide cabin, which had plenty of leg room and felt generally pretty spacious.

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The VX4 includes ample storage for bags underneath the seats ...

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…as well as in cargo holds behind the cabin and the cockpit.

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One of the appeals of fully electric eVTOLs is that they'll be more energy efficient to run than vehicles like helicopters. The mockup has a screen in the cabin that keeps passengers up to date on the total carbon emissions during their trips.

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To keep them comfortable, passengers will be able to adjust temperature and lighting through controls on the armrest.

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"Big windows" will be one of the features the company hopes to have on a final, certified production model, Puerta said. "A lot of customers tell us that the best inflight entertainment system is going to be the window. Because seeing the cities and seeing the world from above is always very entertaining," Puerta said.

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Airlines and operators are likely to customize the interiors to suit their own brand, Puerta said. The equipment included in the flight will also depend on the environment it's operating in.

Vertical Aerospace / American Airways

Vertical Aerospace scheduled the first VX4 test flights to begin during the summer of 2022. The company hopes the aircraft will be certified by 2025, Puerta said.

Stephen Jones