Vertical Aerospace secures aerospace quality certification for Valo aircraft programme

UK electric aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace has secured AS9100 aerospace quality certification, bringing its design and production management systems in line with standards used by established aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing.

The certification, awarded by the British Standards Institution (BSI), follows a year-long programme to strengthen quality management across the Bristol-headquartered company.

Vertical announced the achievement on 12 November, World Quality Day, and believes it is the first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer to obtain the certification.

The milestone comes as the company develops Valo, its piloted electric aircraft designed to carry four passengers, alongside a planned hybrid-electric version.

Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said the certification demonstrated the standards the company was adopting as it prepared for future aircraft production.

“Achieving AS9100 means our quality management system is certified against the same standard used by established manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing. It is what our customers expect,” Simpson said.

“That is the discipline we are bringing to Valo, and to building a company customers can depend on.”

What AS9100 certification means

AS9100 is an internationally recognised quality management standard developed by the International Aerospace Quality Group.

It builds on ISO 9001, the general quality management standard, with additional requirements for organisations working in aviation, space and defence.

The standard covers how companies manage quality across activities such as aircraft design, production, documentation and supplier oversight.

Certification requires an independent assessment of the company’s quality management system to establish whether it meets the prescribed requirements.

Vertical underwent an assessment by BSI after completing its year-long improvement programme.

The certification provides independent assurance that the company’s quality management processes meet the aerospace standard. It does not, however, mean that Valo itself has received aircraft type certification or approval to begin commercial passenger operations.

Those approvals are separate from the certification of the company’s management systems.

Giancarlo Silvestri, BSI’s Global Head of Aerospace and Defence (Assurance), said the achievement was an important step in Vertical’s development.

“Bringing a new generation of aircraft to market requires innovation backed by rigorous, internationally recognised quality standards,” Silvestri said.

“Achieving AS9100 accredited certification is an important step in Vertical’s development as an aerospace manufacturer, giving airline customers and operating partners greater confidence in the quality management foundations behind its ambitions.”

The certification may also allow Vertical to pursue commercial opportunities where AS9100 compliance is a requirement for suppliers or manufacturers.

Vertical develops four-passenger Valo aircraft

Vertical is developing Valo as an electric aircraft capable of taking off and landing vertically, without requiring a conventional runway.

The aircraft is intended to carry a pilot and four passengers, with potential applications including airport transfers and short-distance passenger services.

Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft combine some of the operating characteristics of helicopters with electric propulsion. Their developers are targeting journeys where conventional ground transport can be slow or where access to airports and other transport hubs is limited.

Vertical is also developing a hybrid-electric variant intended to offer greater range and flexibility for different operating requirements.

The company is working with aerospace suppliers including Honeywell, Syensqo and Sonaca, while developing its own battery and propeller technology.

Its headquarters are in Bristol, and its leadership team includes engineers and executives with experience at companies including Rolls-Royce, Airbus and Leonardo.

Pre-orders valued at $6 billion

Vertical says it has approximately 1,500 aircraft pre-orders, with a stated total value of around $6 billion.

Its prospective customers include American Airlines, aircraft leasing company Avolon, helicopter operator Bristow, Brazilian airline GOL and Japan Airlines.

These are pre-orders rather than completed aircraft deliveries. Their eventual conversion into firm sales will depend on the relevant commercial agreements, aircraft development and certification.

Vertical’s published plans identify potential operations in markets including London, Miami and Japan.

The company has outlined airport connections in London, including services involving Heathrow, alongside potential urban passenger operations in Miami and regional connections in Japan.