Last month,
Vertical Aerospace — a ‘global aerospace and technology company pioneering electric aviation’ with its headquarters in Bristol, UK — displayed its next-generation electric aircraft, Valo, at the Bass Museum in Collins Park, Miami, to show what urban and inter-city travel could look like in the future.
Valo, which is designed to fly up to 100 miles at speeds of up to 150mph, features ‘a premium cabin for four passengers, panoramic windows and generous space for luggage and pets’. Vertical is also developing a hybrid-electric variant that could have a range of up to 1,000 miles.
Vertical is working with operating and infrastructure partners to explore a network for its electric and hybrid-electric aircraft across South Florida that would transform key journeys. Example hubs and routes include: Miami to Palm Beach (65 miles, 36min); Opa Locka to Watson Island (15 miles, 9min); Boca to Watson Island (42 miles, 23min); and Miami to Fort Lauderdale (21 miles, 13 min). The latter an example of connecting Miami and Fort Lauderdale’s business districts, cruise terminals, and aviation hubs in under 15min.
Daniella Levine Cava, the mayor of Miami-Dade, said: “I am thrilled about Vertical Aerospace’s plans to make Miami-Dade County one of the first areas in the country with advanced air mobility. This development moves our community closer to the future of air travel, enhanced connectivity, and new economic opportunities for Miami-Dade County. Miami International Airport and our general aviation airports are some of the busiest airports in the country for private aviation, which makes Miami-Dade County the perfect launch site for advanced air mobility.”
Stuart Simpson, Vertical Aerospace’s CEO, said: “Valo offers a new way to experience Miami, turning time lost in traffic into time gained. As electric aviation moves closer to commercialisation, we are working with our customers and operating partners to deliver real-world connections that are faster, cleaner and designed around the passenger.”
Vertical has about 1,500 pre-orders for Valo, with customers across four continents, including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL, and Japan Airlines.