Triangular fins were mounted above and below the rear fuselage, with a small rudder hinged to their trailing edge.

During these flights Blériot made various modifications: he locked the wingtip ailerons and installed a sliding seat, so that he could maintain longitudinal trim by shifting the aircraft's centre of gravity, and extended the vertical tail surface.

On 6 August he managed to reach an altitude of 12 m (39 ft), but one of the blades of the propeller worked loose, resulting in a heavy landing which damaged the aircraft.

After this crash Blériot abandoned development of the aircraft, concentrating on his next machine, the Type VII.

This event was witnessed by a large proportion of the French aviation community, including Robert Esnault-Pelterie, Ferdinand Ferber and the Voisin brothers: also among the spectators was Blériot's wife Alice, who had come to watch one of her husband's flights for the first time.