Bristow Prepares To Launch UK eVTOL Air Taxi Network

Helicopter group Bristow has confirmed it expects to operate the UK’s first eVTOL air taxi service from the first quarter of 2029. As an early customer for the Valo aircraft that Vertical Aerospace unveiled in London on Wednesday, it is working with the manufacturer to develop a network of routes that would include a 12-minute connection from the Canary Wharf business district on the east side of London to Heathrow Airport on the west side.

The plans were announced before the event to introduce Vertical’s redesigned six-passenger Valo aircraft, which will fly up to 87 nm at 130 knots. The UK-based manufacturer said it aims to produce 175 aircraft by the start of 2030, rising to an annual total of more than 225 by the fourth quarter of that year

On the same day, French rotorcraft operator Héli Air Monaco signed a memorandum of understanding covering pre-orders for an undisclosed number of Valo aircraft. The new customer for Bristol-based Vertical said it will operate these in an air taxi network along the Côte d’Azur, with stops in Monaco, Nice, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez.

Bristow said it will partner with Vertical and vertiport group Skyports Infrastructure to develop the new services. Other routes would operate to London Gatwick Airport and connect the university cities of Cambridge and Oxford with support from Oxfordshire County Council and air traffic management provider NATS.

Skyports already operates the London Heliport—close to Canary Wharf—and Bicester Vertiport near Oxford. The company, which is developing advanced air mobility infrastructure worldwide, said it intends to add other landing sites in the UK.

Earlier this year, Bristow placed a pre-order for up to 50 of the Valo aircraft with options for another 50. At the time, it announced the joint plans with Vertical for a so-called “ready to fly” operating model that would provide turnkey access to the aircraft for pilots, MROs, and insurance providers.

Bristow holds a UK air operator certificate and is active in markets such as offshore support for the North Sea oil and gas industry. The group also has operations in multiple other countries worldwide and is already conducting trial operations with Beta Technologies’ Alia CX300 electric aircraft in Norway.

“Electric flight will transform how cities move, and London is one of the best places in the world to prove it,” said Vertical CEO Stuart Simpson. “With Skyports and Bristow, we have the aircraft, infrastructure and operational strength to lead this market. These plans show the commercial potential of services we aim to see operating following regulatory approval in 2028 and we look forward to bringing them to life with our partners.”

According to Vertical, it now holds pre-orders for more than 1,500 of the Valo model, with prospective customers including commercial carriers such as American Airlines, Gol, and Japan Airlines. The manufacturer is seeking EASA and UK type certification, working with aerospace partners including Honeywell, GKN, Syensqo, and Aciturri.

Speaking at the Valo launch event, Darren Jones, chief secretary to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said Vertical is set to certify the first all-new aircraft to be built in the UK for the past 30 years. Jones is a member of parliament for Bristol, where the company is based.