EVTL · Vertical Aerospace Ltd.

Vertical Aerospace's achievement of the first two-way piloted transition flight under rigorous UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Design Organisation Approval marks a pivotal technical milestone in eVTOL development. This continuous flight, executed by Chief Test Pilot Simon Davies on April 14, 2026, validates the core capability enabling Valo aircraft to perform vertical take-offs from urban vertiports, transition to efficient wingborne cruise at speeds up to 150 mph, and return to vertical landings—unlocking commercially viable routes such as Canary Wharf to Heathrow or JFK to Manhattan. CEO Stuart Simpson emphasized this as the most significant milestone in company history, achieved under stricter oversight than peers, positioning Vertical to define industry standards. The accomplishment builds on prior phases: tethered hover (September 2024), thrustborne (February 2025), wingborne (September 2025), and initial thrustborne transition (April 2, 2026). With all flight phases now demonstrated, Vertical advances to critical design review and production of seven pre-production Valo aircraft for CAA and EASA compliance testing, targeting 2028 certification transferable to FAA, ANAC, and JCAB. Partnerships with American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL, Japan Airlines, and suppliers like Honeywell underscore broad support, with quotes from American Airlines' Steve Johnson and UK Secretary Peter Kyle highlighting strategic and economic implications, including thousands of UK jobs and export growth by 2035.