UK’s first air taxi assembly centre opens at Cotswold Airport

# What opened and why it matters

# The aircraft: Valo at a glance The aircraft currently under development at the site is called Valo. Vertical says Valo:

• Is electric and takes off and lands vertically, like a helicopter.
• Carries four passengers.
• Has a claimed range of up to 160 km (100 miles) with no operating emissions.
• Is already in testing at Cotswold Airport.

Vertical plans to begin construction of the new aircraft in late 2027 and hopes to have the planes certified for commercial use by 2029.

# Production plans and orders

# Political and local context Blair McDougall, Minister for Reindustrialisation, welcomed the facility as converting British innovation into British manufacturing. Gloucestershire Council and the airport's CEO, Suzannah Harvey, framed the centre as strengthening Cotswold Airport's role as a hub for aerospace activity and creating high-skilled local jobs.

# Next facilities and timeline Vertical says plans for a separate full-scale production site — intended to support higher-volume manufacturing beyond the assembly centre — will be announced later in the year. The company's stated timeline places initial aircraft construction in late 2027 and a certification target of 2029.

# What this does and does not say The announcement focuses on manufacturing capacity and production targets rather than on operational services or passenger transport roll-out. The BBC report quotes Vertical's CEO Stuart Simpson saying the company is "getting really close to this idea of flying cars, flying taxis." The piece notes testing is already under way at Cotswold Airport but does not give independent verification of performance or regulatory milestones beyond the company's stated certification target.

# Concrete implications for readers If Vertical meets its targets, the UK would host aircraft manufacture for a new category of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) craft. That could create local manufacturing jobs and add to the airport's aerospace activities. Wider operational use, including passenger services, depends on certification, infrastructure, and later production scaling.

# Short summary Vertical Aerospace opened a significant new assembly centre at Cotswold Airport to build its four-seat Valo eVTOL. The company provided production and certification targets and says it has strong order interest. Local and national officials presented the centre as an industrial and employment boost, and plans for larger-scale manufacturing sites will follow.