Answer
The press release you quoted does not list the exact regulatory approvals or a certification schedule for the VX4. However, based on the type of aircraft (an electric‑ or hybrid‑electric vertical‑take‑off‑and‑landing, eVTOL) and the fact that Vertical Aerospace is a U.S.‑listed company (NYSE: EVTL) that is partnering with a global aerostructures supplier, we can outline the typical regulatory pathway that the VX4 will have to follow and the general timeline that companies in this space usually target.
Below is a comprehensive, step‑by‑step overview of the approvals that are normally required for an eVTOL such as the VX4, together with the typical milestones and time‑frames that industry participants aim for. All of these steps will still apply to the VX4 unless Vertical Aerospace publicly announces a different schedule or a different set of authorities.
1. Core Regulatory Authorities that will be involved
| Authority | Role for eVTOL certification | Typical documents/approval needed |
|---|---|---|
| FAA (U.S. Federal Aviation Administration) – Part 23 (air‑carrier) or Part 25 (transport) rules for “air‑taxi” or “urban air mobility” aircraft. | • Airworthiness Certificate (Type Certificate) • Special Flight Permit for early test flights • Environmental & Noise compliance (if operating in populated areas) |
|
| EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) – “Special Condition” or “Medium‑Size Aircraft” rules for eVTOLs operating in Europe. | • Type Certificate (EASA) • Operational Approval (e.g., for VFR/IFR, for urban air‑mobility) |
|
| Other national aviation authorities (e.g., UK CAA, Transport Canada, JAA in Japan, CAAC in China) – required if Vertical intends to sell or operate the VX4 outside the U.S. and EU. | • Local Type Acceptance or Reciprocal Acceptance of FAA/EASA certification. | |
| Environmental & Energy regulators (e.g., EPA in the U.S., EU‑EED in Europe) | • Battery safety & hazardous‑material handling approvals • Noise‑impact assessments (especially for verti‑port operations). |
|
| Security & Air‑space authorities (e.g., FAA’s UAS Integration Office, Eurocontrol) | • U‑Space / U‑TM integration approvals for low‑altitude corridors. |
Bottom line: The VX4 will need airworthiness certification (type certificate) from the FAA (and likely a parallel EASA certificate for European markets) plus any environmental, noise, battery‑safety, and air‑space‑integration clearances that apply to eVTOLs.
2. Typical Certification Milestones & Approximate Time‑Frames
| Phase | Key Milestones | Approx. Duration* |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ Concept & Preliminary Design (0–12 months) | • Market & mission definition • Preliminary aerodynamic, structural, and propulsion analysis • Early safety‑case and system‑architecture draft • Pre‑application meeting with FAA/EASA (to agree on certification basis). |
12 months |
| 2️⃣ Detailed Design & Critical Design Review (12–24 months) | • Completion of Preliminary Design Review (PDR) • Critical Design Review (CDR) • Definition of Special Conditions (if FAA/EASA does not have a direct rule) • Safety‑Case / Failure‑Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) submission to regulator. |
12 months |
| 3️⃣ Ground‑test & Sub‑system qualification (24–36 months) | • Structural test coupons • Battery‑thermal‑runaway tests • Propulsion‑system endurance testing • Noise & emissions measurements • Regulatory “Test‑bed” approval (e.g., FAA’s “Special Flight Permit” for ground‑test). |
12 months |
| 4️⃣ Flight‑test program (36–48 months) | • Initial flight‑test envelope (restricted altitude, limited payload) • Progressive envelope expansion (speed, climb, endurance) • Demonstration of compliance with each Special Condition (e.g., electric‑propulsion reliability, battery‑swap, emergency‑landing). • Data submission to FAA/EASA for airworthiness evaluation. |
12–18 months |
| 5️⃣ Certification Review & Issue Resolution (48–60 months) | • FAA/EASA “Issue Identification” (non‑conformances) • Compliance Demonstration (test‑data, analysis, safety‑case) • Final Type Certificate (TC) issuance. |
12 months |
| 6️⃣ Production & Operational Approval (60 months onward) | • Production Certificate (if scaling to series production) • Air‑Operator Certificate (AOC) or “Urban Air‑Mobility” operator approval for commercial service. |
Ongoing |
*These durations are typical for a new‑type eVTOL that is being developed from scratch. Companies that already have a “heritage” airframe or that are leveraging an existing type certificate can compress the schedule (e.g., 3–4 years total). Conversely, a completely novel design may need 5–7 years.
3. What the Timeline Means for the VX4 (Based on Industry Norms)
| Expected Milestone | Approx. Calendar Date (if the partnership started Q3 2025) |
|---|---|
| Pre‑application & certification plan definition | Q4 2025 |
| Critical Design Review (CDR) | Q2 2026 |
| Ground‑test & subsystem qualification | Q4 2026 |
| First flight‑test (restricted envelope) | Q2 2027 |
| Full‑envelope flight‑test & data submission | Q4 2027 – Q2 2028 |
| FAA/EASA Type Certificate issuance | Late 2028 (≈ 3 years from start) |
| Production ramp‑up & commercial ops (e.g., verti‑port approvals) | 2029‑2030 |
Key takeaway: If Vertical Aerospace follows the “typical” path, the VX4 could be type‑certified by the end of 2028 (≈ 3 years after the partnership announcement) and ready for limited commercial service by 2029‑2030. The exact dates will depend on how quickly the FAA/EASA agree on the “special conditions” for an electric‑propulsion eVTOL and on the outcomes of the flight‑test program.
4. How the Partnership with Aciturri Influences the Process
- Aciturri’s role – supplying the airframe means that the structural design, tooling, and manufacturing processes will be under a single, globally‑qualified supplier. This can speed up the structural‑qualification phase (ground‑test) because Aciturri already holds AS9100 and ISO‑9001 certifications and has a history of supplying OEMs that have achieved FAA/EASA approvals.
- Supply‑chain continuity – having the airframe sourced from a partner with existing export‑control approvals (e.g., ITAR/EAR) reduces the risk of later regulatory bottlenecks when the aircraft is exported to Europe or other markets.
- Potential for “Common‑Type” certification – If Aciturri’s airframe is based on a previously certified platform (e.g., a legacy composite fuselage used on other certified aircraft), the regulator may allow a common‑type or derivative‑type approach, which can shorten the certification timeline by 6‑12 months.
5. Summary – Direct Answer to the Question
| Regulatory approvals required for the VX4 | Timeline for certification |
|---|---|
| 1. Airworthiness Type Certificate from the FAA (U.S.) – likely under Part 23/25 or a Special Condition pathway for eVTOLs. 2. EASA Type Certificate (EU) – parallel or reciprocal to the FAA approval. 3. Environmental & Noise compliance (EPA in the U.S., EU‑EED in Europe). 4. Battery‑safety & hazardous‑material approvals (e.g., UL‑2050, ICAO battery‑handling standards). 5. Operational approvals for commercial verti‑port use (e.g., AOC for urban air‑mobility, U‑Space integration). 6. Security & air‑space integration clearances (U‑TM, low‑altitude corridor authorizations). |
Assuming the partnership began in Q3 2025, a typical industry schedule would be: • 2025‑2026 – Concept, design reviews, and regulatory “pre‑application” meetings. • 2026‑2027 – Detailed design, ground‑test, and early flight‑test. • 2027‑2028 – Full flight‑test envelope, data submission, and issue resolution. • Late 2028 – FAA/EASA Type Certificate issuance (≈ 3 years from start). • 2029‑2030 – Production certification and commercial‑service approvals (verti‑port, AOC). If the VX4 leverages an existing airframe heritage, the schedule could be *2–3 years; a completely novel design may stretch to **4–5 years.* |
Final Note
The press release you provided does not specify the exact regulatory steps or dates for the VX4. The answer above therefore combines:
- What is required (typical approvals for an eVTOL)
- What the realistic timeline looks like based on industry practice and the fact that Vertical Aerospace is a U.S.‑listed company working with a global aerostructures supplier.
If Vertical Aerospace releases a more detailed certification roadmap in the future, the timeline can be refined accordingly.