FutureFlight
GKN Will Make Wings and Wiring for Vertical's eVTOL Aircraft
GKN Aerospace has produced wings for leading commercial airliners such a the Airbus A350 and also has extensive experience with complex wiring systems.
Vertical Aerospace VA-X4
Vertical Aerospace's VA-X4 eVTOL aircraft will carry a pilot and four passengers over 100 miles. (Image: Vertical Aerospace)

GKN Aerospace is to design and manufacture the wing and electrical vertical wiring interconnection systems (EWIS) for Vertical Aerospsace’s VA-X4 eVTOL aircraft. The aerostructures and aircraft systems group is the latest leading aerospace manufacturer to join the UK-based program, with Rolls-Royce (electric propulsion system), Honeywell (flight controls and avionics), Solvay (composite airframe manufacturing), and Microsoft (IT) already signed up as key partners.

Vertical Aerospace’s engineering team is now building the first full-scale prototype for the four-passenger aircraft as they prepare for a first flight later this year. This will fly with Honeywell’s flight controls and a complete avionics suite but not with the production version of the electric propulsion system, which Rolls-Royce is still developing.