The Department of Transportation and FAA broke ground on 25 June 2026 on V-PAR, an $8.3 million Advanced Air Mobility research range at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City. This dedicated test site for vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, including electric and hybrid eVTOL designs, shifts AAM research from theoretical modeling to physical testing. V-PAR will enable regulators and industry partners to evaluate wake turbulence, downwash, outwash, radiofrequency interference, and vertiport operations before widespread commercial deployment. Construction includes a vertiport, covered hangar, and control-center building to simulate real-world operations, with completion scheduled for summer 2027.