Vertical Aerospace has opened a dedicated aircraft assembly centre at its flight test centre at Cotswold airport.

The opening ceremony, which took place on National Manufacturing Day in the UK, delivers on a previously announced milestone and marks the next stage in the company's transition from prototype development and flight testing towards certification and commercial production of its Valo eVTOL aircraft.

Supported by a £1.5 million investment, the new centre adds 60,000 sq ft of operational and aircraft assembly space to Vertical's existing Cotswold airport campus. Combined with the company's flight test centre, Vertical now operates approximately 130,000 sq ft at the airport across engineering, aircraft assembly, ground operations and flight test activities.

The aircraft assembly centre is the first stage of Vertical's planned manufacturing scale-up. It provides the capacity required to build certification-conforming aircraft, which will be used for compliance demonstration and verification testing as Vertical works with the UK CAA towards its target of achieving type certification in 2029. Assembly of the first certification-conforming aircraft is expected to begin in Q4 2027.

The centre will also be used to retrofit one of the company's prototype aircraft for hybrid-electric flight testing in the first half of 2027. The UK Ministry of Defence recently confirmed its interest in Vertical's hybrid-electric and autonomous capabilities.

Following certification, the centre is expected to support Vertical's initial customer deliveries with capacity to assemble more than 25 Valo aircraft annually during the early-production phase.

Higher-volume manufacturing will be carried out at a separate, full-scale production facility, plans for which Vertical expects to announce in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Stuart Simpson, chief executive officer at Vertical, says: “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.”

Fabrice Brégier, chair of Vertical Aerospace, who attended the opening, adds: “I am delighted to be here for one of my first engagements as chair of Vertical. Having spent much of my career bringing complex aircraft programmes into production, I know how important it is to develop manufacturing capability in step with certification. This is tangible evidence of the company's progress as it moves from prototype development towards becoming an aircraft manufacturer.”

At the aircraft assembly centre, Vertical will assemble Valo aircraft, integrating key systems including Sonaca's airframe structures, Evolito's electric propulsion units, Vertical's proprietary battery systems and Honeywell Aerospace's flight control and aircraft management systems into flight-ready aircraft.

Locating aircraft assembly alongside Vertical's existing engineering and flight-test operations will allow aircraft to move efficiently from final assembly through ground and flight testing. It will also shorten feedback loops between manufacturing, engineering and flight-test teams, helping to reduce integration risk and support efficient execution of the certification programme.

Vertical is also due to open its expanded Vertical Energy Centre later this year. The facility is expected to triple the company's battery-production capacity over time, supporting the development and production of Vertical's proprietary battery systems.

Together, the aircraft assembly centre and expanded Vertical Energy Centre form part of Vertical's staged investment in the capabilities required to certify, manufacture and deliver Valo.

Independent analysis by Frontier Economics estimates that Vertical could add £3 billion a year to the UK economy by 2035, anchor more than 2,000 high-value jobs and become a major export success, with 90 per cent of future sales expected to come from global markets.

Minister for Reindustrialisation Blair McDougall MP comments: “The opening of Vertical Aerospace's new aircraft assembly centre at Kemble is exactly the kind of investment we want to see more of as we work to reindustrialise Britain, creating high-skilled local jobs and strengthening our manufacturing base.

“Through our Modern Industrial Strategy and the ATI Programme, we're backing UK aerospace businesses to invest and grow. This new facility will help turn British innovation into British manufacturing, and it's great to see Vertical Aerospace's ambitions take flight.”

Suzannah Harvey, CEO Cotswold Airport, concludes: “We are delighted to support Vertical Aerospace as it enters this important new phase. The opening of the aircraft assembly centre strengthens Cotswold Airport's growing role as a hub for aerospace innovation and brings aircraft assembly and flight testing together in one location. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Vertical as it progresses Valo towards certification and commercial production.”