Vertical Aerospace Makes History With First Public eVTOL Transition Flight at Farnborough International Airshow

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Historic demonstration of transition flight builds on Farnborough's legacy of firsts, bringing commercial electric flight one step closer to reality Builds on recent momentum, including partnership with Near Earth Autonomy and new customer Sigma Air Mobility FARNBOROUGH, England, July 20, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertical Aerospace ("Vertical") (NYSE: EVTL), a global aerospace and technology company pioneering electric aviation, today made history by completing the first public electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) flight at Farnborough International Airshow, switching from helicopter mode to airplane mode and back again. At 1:46PM local time, in front of a global audience of aerospace leaders, regulators, operators and media, Simon Davies, Vertical's Chief Test Pilot, flew Vertical's full-scale prototype, completing a transition flight by moving from vertical take-off to wingborne cruise and back to vertical landing. The flight marks another historic first for Farnborough and a major milestone for the advanced air mobility industry, demonstrating how electric aviation is moving from concept to commercial reality. From Samuel Cody's pioneering powered flight in Britain in 1908 to the Airbus A380's public debut in 2006, Farnborough has been the backdrop to many of aviation's defining moments. Today's demonstration adds electric aviation to that legacy. Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace: "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, the UK trade association advancing aerospace, defence and security and space, adds: "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." Gary Elliott, CEO of Aerospace Technology Institute adds: "Today's flight by Vertical is a significant moment in the delivery of...

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