Vertical Aerospace delays Valo certification to 2029, gets expanded CAA permit

Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL) has pushed back its target date for type certification of its Valo electric aircraft to 2029, from a previously indicated 2028 timeline, according to a company statement issued ahead of the Farnborough International Airshow.

The London-based company said it re-baselined its programme plan following completion of piloted transition flight testing and in preparation for a Critical Design Review (CDR), which it expects to complete by the end of 2026. The CDR is intended to establish the certifiable design baseline for the aircraft before certification-conforming aircraft are built and tested.

On July 10, 2026, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued Vertical an expanded Permit to Fly, authorizing the company's first public demonstration flights away from Cotswold Airport. The company said it completed two-way piloted transition flight in April 2026, a milestone it claims only one other company has achieved globally, and the first to do so under CAA Design Organisation Approval oversight.

Vertical also said it has begun testing a next-generation hybrid-electric propulsion system on a dedicated Hybrid Propulsion Evaluation Rig. The hybrid-electric variant of Valo is designed to deliver up to 1,000 miles of range and payloads of up to 1,100 kg. The company plans to select a long-term turbogenerator supplier during 2026 and begin flight testing in the first half of 2027.

The company reported approximately 1,500 conditional pre-orders for Valo, with an estimated value of approximately $6 billion, from customers including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL, and Japan Airlines. Vertical also announced that Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ: ATRO) was selected to supply the low-voltage power distribution system for Valo.

Vertical said it plans to bring an early production aircraft assembly facility online in the third quarter of 2026 and an expanded battery production facility in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The company said it will provide an update on its funding position alongside its H1 2026 results on August 13, 2026.

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