Wisk’s Historic Autonomous eVTOL Becomes Part of EAA Aviation Museum Collection
By EAA Staff
An innovative eVTOL aircraft that made its first public flight at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023 is becoming part of the EAA Aviation Museum’s collection this week. The aircraft on display is Wisk’s Gen 5 (serial number 7), known as “Cora.” Approximately 200,000 people had the opportunity to watch the Cora fly without a pilot onboard over the two days it flew in Oshkosh for EAA AirVenture.
WHAT TO KNOW:
- In 2023, the Wisk Gen 5 aircraft performed the world’s first public demonstration of a fully autonomous eVTOL fixed-wing aircraft, flying full transitions from hovering to wing-borne flight.
- This aircraft is a pioneer in urban air mobility, as it was developed as a fully autonomous, electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing, fixed-wing air taxi.
- Gen 5 was built to evaluate vertical propulsion systems, avionics, and software. It helped solidify Wisk’s proprietary boom design/configuration and was used to test airspace integration and autonomous flight in controlled airspace.
- It will be displayed in the EAA Aviation Museum’s Innovations Gallery, with signage, video, and QR codes with more information coming soon to enhance the exhibit. Other innovative exhibits on display in that area include the prototype Taylor Aerocar, Opener’s Blackfly personal eVTOL air vehicle, and the same-mold reproductions of the Voyager and SpaceShipOne.
- Wisk aircraft are currently on display at several museums, including the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington, D.C.