FAA Grants Special Airworthiness Certificate for Hermeus’ Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 Aircraft
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, New Mexico — The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted a Special Airworthiness Certificate in the Experimental Category to Hermeus’ unmanned Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 aircraft.
The certification allows the aerospace company to begin its flight-test campaign as part of its broader mission to develop high-speed aircraft capable of achieving supersonic flight.
The approval comes after roughly a year of collaboration between Hermeus and the FAA to support the aircraft’s development, construction and testing process.
With the Special Airworthiness Certificate – Experimental Category (SAC-EC), Hermeus now has regulatory clearance to conduct flight testing for the prototype aircraft.
Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 represents the largest and most capable aircraft developed so far within the company’s Quarterhorse development programme.
The programme focuses on advancing high-speed aviation by building and flying a series of increasingly faster aircraft, with each vehicle generating critical data that informs the design of future models.
Hermeus Director of Mission Operations Jay Wagemann expressed appreciation for the FAA’s role in the certification process.
According to him, the FAA team carried out a rigorous inspection of the aircraft before granting approval for the test programme.
“We are grateful for the FAA’s diligent work. Their team conducted a thorough inspection and gained strong confidence in the aircraft, allowing us to continue our flight testing campaign to gather critical data and push the boundaries of high-speed flight,” he said.
Flight testing for the Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 is currently underway at Spaceport America in New Mexico.
The tests are being conducted within the airspace of the White Sands Missile Range, an area commonly used for aerospace testing.
During the campaign, the unmanned aircraft will be tested at progressively higher altitudes and speeds to evaluate its performance and technological capabilities.
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