While some aircraft go to Cotswold Airport for a rendezvous with the hereafter. It’s also a place where other aircraft complete their gestation.
Vertical Aerospace celebrated the opening of a dedicated Aircraft Assembly Centre at its Flight Test Centre at Cotswold Airport. Speaking to the arrayed guests from politics, the local community customers and media at the opening Vertical Aerospace CEO, Stuart Simpson said: “Opening our Aircraft Assembly Centre is an important step in Vertical’s transition from prototype developer to aircraft manufacturer, and another milestone delivered as we advance Valo towards certification. This facility gives us the capability we need to assemble our certification aircraft and support initial customer deliveries, while maintaining capital discipline as we prepare for higher-volume production. Bringing a new category of aircraft to market is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and it is especially rewarding to do that here in Great Britain, drawing on the country’s proud aviation heritage. By bringing aircraft assembly and flight testing together at Cotswold Airport, we can work more efficiently, reduce execution risk and remain focused on our target of certifying Valo in 2029.”
Simpson was also bullish about the sales prospects for Valo citing an “order book valued at GBP six billion although in one on on conversation with RotorHub International after the presentation he conceded that the orders were in the form of letters of intent rather than firm orders in the traditional sense with significant deposits changing hands.
It could be argued that the target of UK CAA certification by the end of 2029 is on the ambitious side given the propensity of expected certification dates to move to the right but, on the other hand, the company has been working very closely with the UK CAA throughout the VX-4 flight test programme something that is set to continue as Valo comes to the fore.
Pivoting to hybrid: AC2 which garnered headlines at this year’s Farnborough Airshow is now back at Cotswold for conversion to hybrid power.
Another point where it could be said Vertical predictions are on the bullish side is its forecast of production ramp up. In the first year post certification the expectation is to produce between 25 and 35 Valos which Simpson says will increase to 900+ a year by 2035. Measured against annual production by helicopter OEMs it does look like a Herculean task. Nevertheless, says Vertical, that is the company’s goal with production taking place at a yet to be announced plant, presumably somewhere in the UK.
When questioned about the practicalities of aircraft production at that rate Vertical executives did concede that finding both the facility and the skilled personnel needed for aircraft production will be a challenge but said it is one that ‘the company is looking at closely’.
On the other hand it cannot be forgotten that of the hundreds of developers who have set out on the wing in cruise eVTOL quest only two have been able to produce an aircraft that can fly the fly the flight profile Joby and Vertical and as Simpson reminded attendees today, Joby has spent around four times as much money to reach this juncture so there is that.
Image: RHI
