Vertical Aerospace, Britain’s contender in the race to get electric flying taxis into commercial service, is preparing to take its first steps toward test flights into Heathrow.
The company, founded and controlled by Stephen Fitzpatrick, the retail energy tycoon, said it had successfully completed its first tethered test flights with a pilot on board.
It is a big moment for Vertical, based in Bristol, after the crash of its first unpiloted prototype in testing in the Cotswolds a little over a year ago.
The company said it had “simulated various aspects of flight and operational situations needed to validate the [latest] prototype’s safety in real-world flight scenarios, including those outside of its expected operating conditions.By intentionally testing the aircraft’s ability to handle failures, Vertical demonstrated the underlying safety of its design.
“One of the most important tests successfully carried out included simulating the failure of one electric propulsion unit … to ensure the aircraft responds correctly and continues to be safe while in flight conditions.”
It was the failure of one of the unpiloted prototype’s eight units that caused last year’s crash.
Vertical hopes that its VX4 four-seater electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft — think helicopter but with several rotors rather than one big one and a lot loss less fuel burn and noise — can get into service initially ferrying wealthy passengers into airports for the likes of Virgin Atlantic.
The company said that it was working with the Civil Aviation Authority to gain its untethered permit-to-fly accreditation with the aim of wider test flights and ultimately dummy runs into a big hub such as Heathrow.
“It took us just one week to go from our first ground test to our chief test pilot flying the VX4 and we have been making outstanding progress since then,” Stuart Simpson, Vertical’s chief executive, said. “We continue to prove the safety and performance of our design and technology, which we believe to be market leading. Completing this first phase of testing is a significant feat for any eVTOL company.”
The news is crucial for the company’s attempts to attract new investors and more funding.
Vertical listed shares in New York two years ago, during the “blank cheque” float boom of untried businesses, which initially put a value of $2.3 billion on the company. The stock has since fallen more than 90 per cent. In trading on Thursday the shares closed 6.5 per cent higher at $0.78 in New York, valuing the company at $174.4 million.