Vertical Aerospace opened a £1.5 million assembly centre for its Valo air taxi on 25 September. The day before, it said it had hired Jefferies to run a review of “strategic alternatives”, including partnerships. The company set no timetable and said the review may lead to no deal.
Chief executive Stuart Simpson called the new hall a step “from prototype developer to aircraft manufacturer”. It is a 60,000 sq ft space at Cotswold Airport, next to Vertical’s flight test centre. Vertical says it can build more than 25 aircraft a year in early production.
The money and the calendar
Vertical had about $134 million in cash on 13 August, after raising about $100 million from new and existing investors. It expects to spend about $150 million over the following twelve months. It says the cash lasts at least twelve months, which is into August 2027.
The first aircraft built to certification standard is due to start assembly in the fourth quarter of 2027. Vertical targets UK type certification in 2029. So on its own figures, it needs more money before the first certification aircraft is built.
The Valo is Vertical’s four-passenger production design, which followed its VX4 prototype. Vertical counts about 1,500 pre-orders from customers including American Airlines, Japan Airlines and Bristow. Pre-orders in this industry are mostly conditional and are not sales.
What comes next
The review comes with a new chair, Fabrice Brégier, the former head of Airbus’s commercial aircraft business. He called the assembly centre “tangible evidence” of progress. Vertical says it will finish its Critical Design Review by the end of 2026, and announce plans for a full-scale factory in the fourth quarter.
