Vertical Aerospace starts 2025 with piloted thrustborne milestone

Vertical Aerospace Ltd., a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering electric aviation, has taken another significant step in its testing program by successfully completing its first piloted thrustborne flight maneuvers.

The milestone was achieved after the business received approval from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to expand its Permit to Fly, enabling Vertical to progress from piloted thrustborne hover to piloted thrustborne low-speed flight maneuvers at altitude. The latest flight included roll, yaw, and spot turn maneuvers and was flown by Simon Davies, Vertical’s chief test pilot.

Completing the initial piloted thrustborne maneuvers at its flight test center made Vertical only the second company worldwide to achieve this critical step using a full scale vectored thrust eVTOL aircraft.

Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said: “Starting the year with this milestone is a fantastic achievement and testament to the dedication of our team and partners. Becoming one of only two companies globally to conduct piloted thrustborne flight maneuvers in a full-scale vectored thrust eVTOL underscores the progress we’re making toward our Flightpath 2030 strategy and our vision to transform the way the world moves. The team is now focused on completing this phase while we prepare for the significant next step of wingborne flight.”

Vertical’s VX4 aircraft has now progressed from piloted hover flight to piloted, low-speed maneuvers using lift generated by the propellers. Thrustborne flights are designed to assess the aircraft’s stability, battery efficiency, control characteristics, aerodynamics, structural and dynamic loads and performance across different speeds, enabling further assessment of how the VX4 behaves under real-world flight conditions.

At the same time, Vertical will work with the CAA to expand its Permit to Fly, clearing the path for Phase 3 – wingborne flight tests. This phase, which includes flying beyond the airfield boundaries, will effectively serve as a mini-certification of the prototype, laying the groundwork for the VX4’s full certification.

To support the growing demands of its flight test program, Vertical has appointed Tim Eldridge as test pilot.

With more than two decades of flight test experience in the Royal Navy, including testing aircraft such as the Sea King, Merlin, Chinook, and Lynx, Tim brings exceptional expertise to the team. His prior roles, including at Babcock, with whom Vertical is collaborating with on Emergency Medical Services (EMS), where Tim was a helicopter EMS pilot, as well as at QinetiQ and Airbus Helicopters further enhance Vertical’s flight test capabilities.

Vertical’s VX4 is a piloted, four passenger, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with zero operating emissions. Vertical combines partnering with leading aerospace companies, including GKN Aerospace, Honeywell, and Leonardo, with developing its own proprietary battery and propeller technology.

Vertical has approx. 1,500 pre-orders of the VX4, with customers across four continents, including American Airlines, Japan Airlines, GOL, and Bristow. Headquartered in Bristol, UK, Vertical was founded in 2016 by Stephen Fitzpatrick, founder of the OVO Group, Europe’s largest independent energy retailer. Vertical’s experienced leadership team comes from top tier automotive and aerospace companies such as Rolls-Royce, Airbus, GM, and Leonardo. Together they have previously certified and supported over 30 different civil and military aircraft and propulsion systems.