Vertical Aerospace

A new white paper from Aerobility has highlighted how the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector can have a transformational impact for people with disabilities if accessibility is ‘baked in’ from first principles; overcoming the challenges found within today's commercial air transport. Vertical is cited as one of the eVTOL companies that has incorporated accessibility from the early stages of our AAM design work for our eVTOL aircraft. David King, Vertical's Chief Engineer, explains how we’re taking inspiration from London’s black cab in terms of design space, layout and accessibility, so that as many people as possible can benefit from using the VX4, with inclusivity being an important part of our talent strategy. #AAM #VX4 #FutureofFlight You can read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/e-wq7Bip

Taking a novel aircraft through flight test is no small feat. Whilst the new aircraft is visually similar to the first prototype, AC2 is far more capable. The aircraft benefits from a host of improvements - all tailored to allow piloted transition flight. #eVTOL #VX4 #Aerospace #FlightTest

The Flight Test Centre is a hive of activity as we prepare for Phase 2 - piloted thrustborne flight. #VX4 #eVTOL #Aviation

Our H1 2024 Shareholder Letter is now live! Over the last six months we’ve made strong headway towards pioneering electric aviation, with Stage 1 of our thrustborne flight tests complete with our Chief Test Pilot Justin ‘Jif’ Paines in the cockpit.  Highlights from the last quarter: > Successful tethered hover of our new, significantly more advanced, full-scale prototype that features 60% of its technology from our tier-one aerospace partners. > Vertical’s proprietary batteries, developed in the UK, were used for the first time in our prototype. > Received our Permit to Fly from the Civil Aviation Authority and expanded the scope of our Design Organisation Approval (DOA). > Our Vertical Integrated Test Lab (VITL) conducted nearly 3,000 hours of testing across real aircraft hardware and flight control computers to verify our technology performance. > Hosted representatives from our customers at our Pioneers Event in London, and enjoyed a hugely successful Farnborough International Air Show with our Vision Pro experience. > Welcomed Benjamin Story to our board, and Charlotte Cowley as Strategic Director of Finance to the team, as we continue to attract world-class talent to the team. Read the full Shareholder Letter below:  #eVTOL #Vertical #VX4  

At Vertical we’re ending the week on a high, with Stage 1 of Flight Test Campaign complete!    Thanks to the commitment of our team, partners and suppliers we’re now progressing onto Stage 2, Thrustborne flying. This will be untethered, at a higher speed, and height with our Chief Test Pilot Justin ‘Jif’ Paines in the cockpit. #VX4 #eVTOL #Aviation

Air ambulance charities collectively make over 45,000 lifesaving missions each year across the UK. A number of our team have been raising money to mark Air Ambulance Week, and at Vertical we are proud to be pioneering electric aviation, which one day could support the vital work of these charities. 

MILESTONE ACCOMPLISHED: Phase 1 of our VX4 flight test programme is complete! During Phase 1 the VX4 conducted multiple piloted tethered flights and ground runs across 20 piloted sorties, completing a total of 70 individual test points with our Chief Test Pilot Justin ‘Jif’ Paines on board. These tests have enabled our team to collect and measure 35,000 flight and system parameters and verify all systems are operating safely and correctly under different conditions. Completing this first phase of testing is a significant feat, and shows the strength of our aircraft, team and partners. We’re now working with the Civil Aviation Authority as we prepare for Phase 2 of testing – thrustborne flight tests. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eudJn2pn

A view of Aircraft 2 in the evening sun as we accelerate towards piloted thrustborne flight. #VX4 #eVTOL

The Vertical team is flying the flag at various industry-leading events across the world in the coming months. We’ll be connecting with customers, regulators and other stakeholders to showcase the VX4 and how Vertical is pioneering electric aviation, creating a better way to travel.    Find us at:  - Airline Economics, Growth Frontiers where our customer team will be speaking on a panel discussing the role of leasing and financing in eVTOL commercialisation on the the 10th of September.  - The International Civil Aviation Organization, Advanced Air Mobility Symposium in Montreal from the 9-12th of September, where our CCO and CTO, Michael Cervenka is on a panel discussing staffing the new AAM ecosystem and Will Nathan, our Head of Public Affairs, is exploring innovation in AAM systems and services. - ISTAT Connect, EMEA Conference on the 22-24th of September in Istanbul, where Michael is discussing what we can expect from the next generation of aviation.

Tethered flight tests and ground runs are key to a safe programme. By completing higher-risk tests without putting the aircraft in harm's way, we can begin piloted thrustborne flights with increased confidence. Vertical is working with the Civil Aviation Authority to safely integrate this novel aircraft into the UK's airspace.