Vertical Aerospace has achieved a historic milestone by completing the first public electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) transition flight at Farnborough International Airshow.
At 1:46 PM local time, Chief Test Pilot Simon Davies flew Vertical’s full-scale prototype aircraft in front of an audience of aerospace leaders, regulators, operators, and media. The aircraft completed a transition flight, moving from vertical take-off to wingborne cruise before returning to vertical mode for landing.
The demonstration adds electric aviation to Farnborough’s legacy of aviation milestones, which spans from Samuel Cody’s pioneering powered flight in Britain in 1908 to the public debut of the Airbus A380 in 2006.
Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, stated, “For more than a century, Farnborough has been the stage where aviation’s next chapter has been written. Today, we’re proud that Vertical has added another first to that remarkable history. Successfully demonstrating a public transition flight here is more than a technical milestone – it is proof that electric aviation is moving from promise to commercial reality.”
Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS Group, added, “Vertical’s successful flight is another important milestone for UK aerospace innovation and a strong signal of the momentum building behind the UK’s advanced air mobility sector. It shows how British companies are helping shape the next generation of aerospace technologies and turning innovation into real-world capability right here at Farnborough Airshow.”
The demonstration follows a series of technology and commercial developments for Vertical. The company recently announced a strategic partnership with Near Earth Autonomy to integrate advanced autonomous flight capability into Valo, supporting future defense and commercial applications. Vertical also announced Sigma Air Mobility, an advanced air mobility operator and member of the Luxaviation Group, as a new customer.
Gary Elliott, CEO of Aerospace Technology Institute, noted, “Today’s flight by Vertical is a significant moment in the delivery of eVTOL capability and a fantastic example of the pioneering aerospace innovation happening in the UK. We have been a proud supporter of Vertical’s technology development for some time through the ATI Programme and this flight is proof of the transformative power of government and industry jointly supporting innovation across the aerospace supply chain.”
Gareth Rogers, CEO of Farnborough International Airshow, also commented, “Farnborough International Airshow has always been a place where the future of aerospace is not only imagined, but seen for the first time. To witness Vertical’s eVTOL aircraft take to the skies here marks an extraordinary moment for our industry, for the history of the show and British aviation. This milestone now joins Farnborough’s proud legacy of pioneering ‘firsts’, from landmark aircraft debuts to breakthrough technologies that have shaped the direction of flight. Seeing Vertical Aerospace demonstrate this new era of electric aviation at Farnborough is a powerful reminder of the role that British engineering and the airshow continues to play as a global stage for innovation, ambition and progress.”
Vertical plans to conduct further flight demonstrations throughout the week, subject to approved flight conditions, with schedule updates available via its official WhatsApp channel. The company is also displaying a full-scale commercial model of Valo in Hall 4 at the event.
