Vertical Aerospace, a global aerospace and technology company that is pioneering electric aviation, announced that it completed the world’s first airport-to-airport piloted flight by a full-scale, winged tilt-rotor eVTOL designed for commercial service.
Following Flight Conditions and Permit to Fly approvals from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the VX4 prototype flew to the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), the world’s largest military air show.
On Wednesday, 16 July, the piloted VX4 prototype flew 17 miles from Vertical’s Flight Test Centre at Cotswold Airport to RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force station which is used by the United States Airforce, reaching speeds of 115mph and an altitude of 1800ft. The flight marked the aircraft’s first landing at a public location.
The inaugural flight, witnessed by a few thousand aircraft enthusiasts, showcases integration with real-world airport operations and builds momentum toward certified deployment.
Simon Davies, Vertical’s Chief Test Pilot, who flew the full scale VX4 prototype, said: “Flying the VX4 from airport to airport is a major milestone, and a powerful demonstration of the real-world capability of the aircraft. To bring it to RIAT, among some of the world’s most advanced military aircraft, is a proud moment – and a powerful signal of the role that a new generation of aircraft will play in defence and special mission operations.”
With the recent launch of its hybrid-electric variant, Vertical is positioned to deliver cleaner, quieter, and more versatile aviation solutions for a range of government and military use cases. Vertical’s second-generation hybrid-propulsion system, which has been in development for 18 months at the Vertical Energy Centre, will be retrofitted into one of the company’s VX4 full scale prototypes and is expected to commence flight testing in Q2 2026.
