Vertical Aerospace to fly first eVTOL public demonstration flights at Farnborough International Airshow

Vertical Aerospace plans to conduct the first public eVTOL demonstration flights to take place at the Farnborough International Airshow, marking another significant milestone as the company advances towards certification and commercial service. The demonstrations come at an important point in Vertical's evolution. Over the past year, the company has launched its commercial aircraft, Valo, completed successful piloted transition flights, strengthened its balance sheet, expanded its global technology ecosystem, advanced its hybrid-electric defence strategy and continued to execute against its certification programme. Having demonstrated the aircraft's core capabilities, Vertical is now focused on the next phase of its strategy – executing towards certification, industrialisation and commercialisation.

As well as public piloted flight demonstrations of its full-scale prototype, Vertical will also display its full-scale commercial model of Valo.

Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace commented: "Vertical arrives at Farnborough with the key building blocks now in place. Over the past year we've transformed the business - from launching Valo and achieving piloted transition to strengthening our financial position and expanding our industrial ecosystem. We've proven the technology. Our focus now is executing the roadmap to certification, industrialisation and commercial service. Every milestone we deliver reduces risk, strengthens our competitive position and brings us closer to building one of the world's leading electric aerospace companies."

As well as public piloted flight demonstrations of its full-scale prototype, Vertical will also display its full-scale commercial model of Valo.Vertical Aerospace’s key activations at the airshow include:

Flight demonstrations

Vertical intends to conduct public demonstration flights throughout the show - the first by an eVTOL aircraft at Farnborough International Airshow – subject to approved flight conditions. Planned demonstration flights follow the UK Civil Aviation Authority's recent expansion of Vertical's Permit to Fly, authorising the company to conduct its first public demonstration flights away from its Flight Test Centre at Cotswold Airport.

Since receiving the approval, Vertical’s test pilots have successfully flown into multiple airports, including RAF Brize Norton, RAF Benson, Blackbushe Airport and Farnborough Airport, broadening its flight test programme and building experience across multiple operating environments as it progresses towards certification and commercial service.

Attendees to the show can follow the latest on Vertical’s demonstration flight times by joining the Vertical Aerospace Farnborough International Airshow 2026 WhatsApp channel.

Experience Valo

Visitors can explore the full-scale commercial model of Valo in Hall 4 and meet the team developing one of the world's most advanced electric aircraft. Valo is built on the successes of Vertical’s full-scale prototype which is flying at the airshow.

Vertical arrives at Farnborough with one of the industry's strongest aerospace technology ecosystems, working alongside global partners including Honeywell Aerospace, Aciturri, Evolito, Hyundai WIA, Syensqo, Sonaca and Isoclima. The company also has approximately 1,500 conditional pre-orders from customers across four continents, including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL and Japan Airlines.

As Vertical advances towards certification and entry into service, the Company expects to achieve several important programme milestones:

• Critical Design Review (CDR): Expects to complete by the end of 2026, establishing the certifiable design baseline for its aircraft and enabling the build and test of certification-conforming aircraft.
• Industrialisation: Bringing the early production aircraft assembly facility online during Q3 2026 and expanding the Vertical Energy Centre in Q4 2026.
• Hybrid-electric programme: Selecting a long-term turbogenerator supplier during 2026 ahead of hybrid-electric flight testing in the first half of 2027.