Aerotime reports, “Vertical Aerospace has achieved what its CEO Stuart Simpson described as the ‘most significant technical milestone’ in its history after the air taxi developer became the first outside the US to execute a piloted two-way transition flight. On 14 April 2026, at its spiritual home at Cotswold Airport (GBA), Chief Test Pilot Simon Davies successfully switched Vertical Aerospace’s electric vehicle takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from helicopter mode to plane mode and back again.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Tag: Vertical Aerospace
Vertical Aerospace CEO Says New Valo eVTOL to Become ‘People’s Air Taxi’
Flying Magazine reports, “U.K. developer Vertical Aerospace this week unveiled its flagship electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Valo, which, according to CEO Stuart Simpson, will be the ‘people’s air taxi.’ A chief criticism of eVTOL aircraft is their anticipated cost, leading many to characterize electric air taxis as a service for the wealthy. But Simpson said that won’t be the case for Vertical’s flagship model.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Vertical Aerospace Introduces Valo, Its Latest eVTOL Design
Aerotime reports, “Electric vehicle takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer Vertical Aerospace has unveiled Valo, the latest evolution of its urban air mobility aircraft following the VX4 prototype. On December 12, 2025, the first photos of Valo were released showing a much sleeker and sharper unit from the VX4, Vertical’s workhorse eVTOL prototype.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Bristow Doubles Pre-Orders of Vertical Aerospace’s VX-4
Flight Global reports, “Vertical Aerospace is to join forces with Bristow Group to establish what is effectively a wet-leasing operation focused on the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer’s VX4. An expansion of an existing ‘strategic partnership’ dating from 2021, the agreement also sees helicopter operator Bristow double its pre-orders and options for the VX-4, increasing both to as many as 50 units.”
Full Story (Flight Global)
Vertical Aerospace Announces Development of Long-Range Hybrid Air-Taxi Variant of its VX4
Reuters reports, “Vertical Aerospace said on Monday it is developing a long-range hybrid-electric variant of its air-taxi VX4, aiming to expand into commercial markets including defense and logistics. U.S.-listed shares of the British electric aircraft firm rose more than 6% before the bell.”
Full Story (Reuters)
Video
VX4 eVTOL Test Flight
Vertical Aerospace
Vertical Performs Piloted Thrustborne eVTOL Flight Test
Aerotime reports, “UK-based electric vehicle takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace has become only the second company in the world to perform a piloted thrustborne flight test in a full-scale vectored thrust aircraft. The full-scale eVTOL aircraft, known as VX4, took off on January 7, 2024, with pilot Simon Davies at the controls, at the Vertical Aerospace test center at Cotswold Airport (GBA).”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Vertical Aerospace Begins Untethered Flight Tests
Aerotime reports, “British eVTOL developer Vertical Aerospace has conducted the first untethered flight of its VX4 prototype, kicking off Phase Two of its development program. Until now Vertical Aerospace had conducted piloted flight tests, but with the aircraft always tethered to the ground by a cable.”
Full Story (Aerotime)
Vertical Aerospace Completes VX4 Phase One Testing
Reuters reports, “UK-based Vertical Aerospace has completed the first phase of piloted testing of a prototype of its air-taxi, VX4, it said on Thursday, sending the company’s shares up 3.9% in U.S. premarket trading. The VX4 has 1,500 pre-orders worth $6 billion from companies including Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines and Japan Airlines. The phase one testing included multiple piloted tethered flights and ground runs. It completed 70 individual test points to validate its safety in the real-world flight scenarios.”
Full Story (Reuters)
Vertical Aerospace Begins Ground Testing New Air Taxi Prototype
Flying Magazine reports, “U.K.-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi manufacturer Vertical Aerospace is back to testing aircraft. The manufacturer has begun ground testing a new, more advanced full-scale prototype of its flagship VX4 air taxi after an initial prototype was damaged during an uncrewed flight test last year.”
Full Story (Flying Magazine)
Norway Considers Grounding Sikorsky Helicopters After Fatal Crash
Reuters reports, “Norway on Thursday halted all helicopter traffic to its offshore oil and gas fields after a deadly crash, and said it was considering grounding Sikorsky’s S-92A aircraft model while investigating the accident.” During a search and rescue mission Wednesday, one occupant was killed and five others were injured when a “helicopter plunged into the ocean off western Norway … police and oil company officials said.”
Full Story (Reuters)