Vertical Aerospace this week grew the order book for its VA-X4 eVTOL aircraft by more than a third, taking the total backlog of prospective sales to 1,350 units and potentially generating revenues of $5.4 billion. Deals signed with helicopter operator Bristow and Japanese trading and investment conglomerate Marubeni Corporation have made the UK company’s four-passenger vehicle the strongest-selling eVTOL in the fast-growing sector.
On September 22, Marubeni placed a “preorder option” for 200 VA-X4s that are to be delivered in 2025. The company also signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly evaluate the requirements for eVTOL operations in Japan with Vertical Aerospace. Announcing the agreement, the partners said they will also evaluate “commercial considerations such as route and network planning, infrastructure requirements, and capacity” while also “engaging with other interested parties who can play a role in launching advanced air mobility [AAM] in Japan.”
A day earlier, helicopter operator Bristow agreed to purchase 50 of the eVTOL aircraft, which will have a range of 100 miles. In its announcement, Vertical also referred to Spanish travel group Iberojet as a customer, and it is expected to take 100 aircraft.
Prior to this week, Vertical had a declared order book of 1,000 units from launch customers American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airways, and leasing group Avolon. On September 21, Avolon announced that it will supply 250 of the 500 VA-X4s it has on order to Brazilian airline Gol, which intends to launch commercial services in 2024.
Vertical and Marubeni view Japan as a fertile environment for developing AAM services, due to its high technology infrastructure and favorable regulatory setup. According to Marubeni, the Japanese market could sustain a variety of eVTOL aircraft applications, including intercity and intra-city flights, airport shuttle connections, and emergency medical response.
In the U.S., American Airlines intends to use the VA-X4 for passenger operations and infrastructure development. In the UK, Virgin Atlantic is working with Vertical on plans for a short-haul scheduled network.
According to Vertical’s founder and CEO, Stephen Fitzpatrick, the alliance with its Japanese partner gives the company a “direct route to market.” He predicted that “electrification will transform flying in the 21st century in the same way the jet engine did 70 years ago and with Marubeni, we are confident we have a great partner who can be a part of this transformation.”
