Vertical Aerospace 完成首次载人 eVTOL 推力传输

Vertical Aerospace achieves a landmark technical milestone under CAA oversight as a piloted eVTOL aircraft successfully transitions from vertical lift to wingborne flight

Story and Image Credit:  Joe Macey
www.aaminternational.com

Vertical Aerospace has achieved a significant technical milestone with the successful piloted thrustborne transition of its full-scale electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The flight took place on 2 April 2026 at the company’s Flight Test Centre at Cotswold Airport, with Test Pilot Paul Stone at the controls. During the maneuver, the aircraft performed a vertical takeoff before tilting its front propellers forward to accelerate into wingborne flight. As the aircraft gained speed, the rear propellers stowed to allow for an energy-efficient cruise, concluding the mission with a conventional runway landing.

This flight represents the completion of the first half of a “two-way transition” sequence. This capability is essential for point-to-point urban air mobility, as it allows an aircraft to operate from helipads and rooftops without a runway while maintaining the efficiency of a fixed-wing plane during transit. The achievement follows nearly two years of piloted testing, which included the first winged eVTOL flight in open European airspace.

The testing was conducted under the oversight of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is collaborating with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This regulatory involvement is a critical component of the certification path for Valo, Vertical’s intended commercial aircraft. The company is currently expanding the flight envelope from both ends, focusing on accelerating from a hover and decelerating from wingborne flight back to a vertical landing.

This technical progress coincides with a recently announced agreement in principle for a financing package of up to $850 million. This capital is intended to support the company through the type certification process and into commercial operations.

Stuart Simpson, Chief Executive Officer at Vertical Aerospace, said, “This marks a turning point not just for Vertical Aerospace, but for the entire advanced air mobility industry. Achieving piloted thrustborne transition under active regulatory oversight — alongside the recently announced financing package — demonstrates that we have solved the hardest engineering challenges, have the regulatory relationships to complete certification, and now have the financial foundation to see this through to commercial service.”

The flight provided real-world validation of the company’s distributed electric propulsion and tiltrotor technology. Each phase of the flight test program is backed by structural testing and simulator work to ensure the aircraft performs according to its design specifications.

David King, Chief Engineer at Vertical Aerospace, said, “Completing this piloted transition milestone is a profound achievement and the result of years of engineering innovation and disciplined test execution. The aircraft performed exactly as designed, transitioning smoothly and under full control — proving the core elements of Vertical’s distributed electric propulsion and tiltrotor technology at full scale, in real flight conditions. This is not yet final mission accomplished, but it is a pivotal technical proof point on our path to two-way transition.”

Test Pilot Paul Stone added, “This aircraft was made to transition. From the moment the front propellers tilted and the aircraft began to accelerate, the response was exactly as the simulation predicted — smooth, stable, and fully under control throughout. What the engineering team has built here is genuinely extraordinary. The aircraft handled the transition with a level of confidence that gives me great optimism for everything that comes next.”

Vertical Aerospace has now moved into the final stages of its four-phase flight test program. Having completed tethered, thrustborne, and wingborne phases, the company is now focused on the final requirements for full two-way transition.

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全球电动混合动力汽车、电动航空、电动船舶技术及未来创新电动混合动力 VTOL 航空航天技术新闻！

EVHNews.com 是 EVVTOL 的全球数字技术平台。EVVTOL 是全球电动汽车/混合动力汽车、电子航空、E-VTOL、E-Marine 未来技术行业展示和展览活动组织机构，全球最大的电动汽车和 E-VTOL 品牌在此投资未来交通。

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关于 EVVTOL

- EVVTOL 是一家新公司，其品牌定位是全球最具影响力的未来技术展/博览会活动组织，其战略定位是成功满足电动汽车和 VTOL 运输行业客户的需求！

- EVVTOL 的目标是展示电动汽车和 VTOL 行业，并通过发布和展示尖端电动汽车和 E-VTOL 技术，介绍电动汽车和 VTOL 领域的主要车辆和零部件制造商。

- EVVTOL 的使命是推出多个技术展和博览会，包括有影响力的高级别电动汽车商业峰会，这些峰会以与电动汽车和电动交通行业、能源汽车信息技术和充电基础设施行业的主要制造商进行商业接触这两个主题为基础。这些活动是了解和讨论电动汽车和 VTOL 行业未来最新交通技术进步以及电池能源挑战的绝佳机会。

(evvtol.org) 877-4EV-VTOL (877-438-8865)

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全球电动混合动力汽车、电动航空、电动船舶技术及未来创新电动混合动力 VTOL 航空航天技术新闻！ EVHNews.com 是 EVVTOL 的全球数字技术平台。EVVTOL 是全球电动汽车/混合动力汽车、电动航空、电动 VTOL、电动船舶未来技术行业展示和展览活动组织机构，全球最大的电动汽车和电动 VTOL 品牌在此投资未来交通。 EV H News 致力于电动汽车和电动混合动力汽车、电动航空、电动飞行器、电动船舶等行业，包括电动交通、电动半导体和电动卡车。 这个数字平台将包括来自全球行业领导者的评论和资源，其中许多侧重于清洁蓝色技术和替代燃料（如适用）。EVH 新闻平台让所有人都能获得工具和信息，了解未来电子汽车、电子航空、电子海运、电子摩托车、电子半导体和电子卡车等电子运动行业的突破性电子技术。 关于 EVVTOL - EVVTOL 是一家新公司，以最具影响力的全球未来技术展/博览活动组织为品牌，其战略定位是成功满足电动汽车和 VTOL 运输行业客户的需求！ - EVVTOL 的目标是展示电动汽车和 VTOL 行业，并通过揭幕和展示最先进的电动汽车和 E-VTOL 技术，介绍电动汽车和 VTOL 的主要车辆和零部件制造商。 - EVVTOL 的使命是推出多个技术展和博览会，包括有影响力的高级别电动汽车商业峰会，这些峰会以与电动汽车和电动交通行业、能源汽车信息技术和充电基础设施行业的主要制造商进行商业接触为双重主题。这些活动是了解和讨论电动汽车和 VTOL 行业未来最新交通技术进步以及电池能源挑战的绝佳机会。 (evvtol.org) 877-4EV-VTOL (877-438-8865)

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