Hanneke Weitering is a writer and editor with AIN covering advanced air mobility and new flight technologies. She became an aviation journalist and joined the AIN team in the summer of 2022 after reporting on spaceflight and astronomy for six years at Space.com. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in science, health, and environmental reporting at New York University&#039;s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She is now based in Seattle near Boeing Field and spends her free time exploring nature in the Pacific Northwest.

Science & Technology Editor

Hanneke Weitering

Vertical Aerospace just notched a flight-testing milestone with a full-scale prototype of its six-passenger <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2025-12-09/vertical-unveils-redesigned-valo-evtol-aircraft-london">Valo eVTOL aircraft</a>. On Monday, the UK-based company announced that it had completed a piloted transition flight, meaning the aircraft took off vertically like a helicopter and then accelerated horizontally until it transitioned into fully wingborne cruise flight.
The piloted transition test took place on April 2 at Cotswold Airport in southwest England, with Vertical chief test pilot Paul Stone at the helm, the company said. “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,” Stone said in a company statement.&nbsp;
For the piloted transition test, “The aircraft took off vertically before the front propellers tilted forward, enabling a smooth acceleration into wingborne flight as the rear propellers stowed, followed by a conventional runway landing,” the company said.
Now that Vertical has demonstrated a piloted transition from hover to cruise, the next feat will be to demonstrate the ability to decelerate from cruise and transition back into hover for a vertical landing. Vertical describes this as a “two-way” transition: taking off vertically, cruising on the wing, and then returning for a vertical landing without using a runway.
“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,” said Vertical Aerospace chief engineer David King. “This is not yet final mission accomplished, but it is a pivotal technical proof point on our path to two-way transition.”
According to Vertical, the piloted transition represents “the most significant technical milestone in Vertical’s 10-year history” and “demonstrates the aircraft’s ability to perform one of the most complex challenges in aviation.”
This milestone marks the latest step in a structured flight-test campaign that has progressed through tethered hover, thrustborne flight, and wingborne operations over the past two years. According to the company’s program outline, transition testing represents the final phase before full mission capability. Vertical uses a Permit to Fly regime to conduct each expansion of the flight envelope and submits detailed test data to regulators to support certification.
The successful piloted transition flight follows Vertical’s recent announcement of an agreement for up to $850 million in financing, which the company intends to use to support certification and commercialization. Vertical targets 2028 certification and entry into service for Valo, subject to regulatory approval. The company claims to have logged approximately 1,500 preorders for its Valo eVTOL aircraft from customers including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL, and Japan Airlines.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Vertical Aerospace Achieves First Piloted eVTOL Transition Flight Test

Valo prototype completes hover-to-cruise flight in key test

Vertical Aerospace just notched a flight-testing milestone with a full-scale prototype of its six-passenger Valo eVTOL aircraft.

Vertical Achieves Piloted eVTOL Transition Flight

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Leadership cites stewardship of member dollars, not cash need

AOPA To Sell 2013 Citation M2, No Plan To Replace It

Executive jets account for 29 of total deliveries

Embraer Q1 Deliveries Rise 47% Year over Year

Charles Alcock

New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

The Ascend demonstrator is the first of the new type to cross the Atlantic 

Citation Ascend Starts European Demonstration Tour

Kerry Lynch

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Aircraft is prepping for fifth flight test

NASA’s X-59 Flight-test Program Now Gaining Momentum

Few preowned Gulfstreams are available for sale and are selling quickly

Hagerty Jet Group: Preowned Gulfstreams Are Hard To Find

Jessica Reed

C.R. Sincock became president of Avfuel, Helen Hollis U.S. managing director for Luxaviation One.

People in Aviation—April 2026

Charlotte Bailey

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

In this article

Vertical Aerospace

More In Aircraft

AOPA To Sell 2013 Citation M2, No Plan To Replace It

Leadership cites stewardship of member dollars, not cash need

Embraer Q1 Deliveries Rise 47% Year over Year

Executive jets account for 29 of total deliveries

Citation Ascend Starts European Demonstration Tour

The Ascend demonstrator is the first of the new type to cross the Atlantic

NASA’s X-59 Flight-test Program Now Gaining Momentum

Aircraft is prepping for fifth flight test

Hagerty Jet Group: Preowned Gulfstreams Are Hard To Find

Few preowned Gulfstreams are available for sale and are selling quickly

People in Aviation—April 2026

C.R. Sincock became president of Avfuel, Helen Hollis U.S. managing director for Luxaviation One.

Potential First Op Deployment for G550-based EA-37Bs

Two U.S. ‘Compass Call’ aircraft make first landing at UK’s RAF Mildenhall

Daher Delivers Sixth Aircraft to Longtime Customer

U.S.-based medical doctor Ian Fries has used the TBM family professionally for more than two decades

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN