Vertical Aerospace Shares Business Update Ahead of Farnborough International Airshow

About this update from Vertical Aerospace Ltd.

LONDON, July 13, 2026 --( BUSINESS WIRE )--Vertical Aerospace ("Vertical" or the "Company") (NYSE: EVTL), a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering electric aviation, today provided a business update ahead of Farnborough International Airshow, highlighting progress across its programme, as it prepares for the next phase of development and entry into service. Program Progress & Critical Design Review In April 2026, Vertical achieved the most significant technical milestone in its history, with two‑way piloted transition flight, a critical technical validator reached by only one other company globally. Vertical is the first to do so under Design Organisation Approval regulatory oversight of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). On Friday July 10, 2026, in a demonstration of further regulator confidence, the Company received an expanded Permit to Fly from the CAA, authorising its first public demonstration flights away from Cotswold Airport. Vertical has now conducted multiple successful piloted transition flights, validating the core aerodynamic and flight control technologies that underpin the design of the Company's aircraft, Valo, and advance the programme toward certification. The Company has also expanded its flight test fleet with an additional prototype, accelerating piloted flight testing, supporting flight demonstrations and advancing development of Vertical's hybrid-electric aircraft programme. Looking forward, the Company expects to complete Critical Design Review (CDR) by the end of 2026, establishing the certifiable design baseline for its aircraft and enabling the build and test of certification-conforming aircraft. Vertical also plans to bring new manufacturing capabilities online, targeting its early production aircraft assembly facility in Q3 2026 and the expanded Vertical Energy Centre for its proprietary batteries in Q4 2026. Certification Timeline Following completion of piloted transition flight testing and in preparation for CDR in close engagement with our supplier partners, the Company has re-baselined its programme plan against the remaining certification workscope, including the build and test of certification-conforming Valo aircraft. Having previously indicated increasing risk to its targeted 2028 timeline, the Company now expects to achieve Type Certification of Valo in 2029. This timeline reflects the rigour of certifying an entirely new class of aircraft under an established regulatory certification framework.

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