The undercarriage was fixed, and the tail was fitted with a skid rather than a wheel. The He 46 prototype first flew in late 1931; its flight characteristics were good, but design improvements were incorporated. The small lower wing was removed, while the mainplane was increased in area by 22% and braced to the fuselage, transforming the He 46 into a parasol-wing monoplane.
The damaged undercarriage was repaired, and the tail section was modified to feature a skid rather than a wheel. The He 46 prototype made its maiden flight in late 1931; although it showed promising flight characteristics, further refinements were made. The lower wing was removed, while the mainplane's surface area was expanded by 22% and attached to the fuselage, resulting in a parasol-wing monoplane design.