Vertical Aerospace Brings Valo to Miami, Showcasing the Future of Electric Inter-City Travel

MIAMI BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 18, 2026--

Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL), a global aerospace and technology company pioneering electric aviation, today announced that its next-generation electric aircraft, Valo, will be on public display in Miami on 24-25 February at the Bass Museum in Collins Park.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260218946439/en/

Valo is being developed to bring the future of urban and inter-city travel to life - quieter, greener and more efficient than traditional transport. Designed to fly up to 100 miles at speeds of up to 150 mph, the aircraft features a premium cabin for four passengers, panoramic windows and generous space for luggage and pets. Vertical is also developing a hybrid-electric variant, targeted to fly up to 1,000 miles.

Visitors are invited to see the aircraft up close, meet the team behind its development, and explore how Valo could reshape travel across South Florida.

“A New Perspective on Miami”

Miami is defined by its coastline, culture and vibrant experiences, yet traffic congestion often limits how much of the area can be experienced in a single day. Valo is designed to change that.

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:

Coastal Corridor - Miami to Palm Beach

Premium event access – Opa Locka to Watson Island

Business and lifestyle corridor – Boca to Watson Island

Regional City Link - Miami to Fort Lauderdale

Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, 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. MIA 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 AAM.”

Stuart Simpson, CEO at Vertical Aerospace, said:

“Valo offers a new way to experience Miami - turning time lost in traffic into time gained. Imagine landing near Fort Lauderdale and reaching your tee time without touching I-95. Leaving Miami for Palm Beach after lunch and being back for sunset. Or taking a quiet electric flight over Biscayne Bay as the skyline turns gold. 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.”

Miami: A Strategic Hub

Miami is a major global aviation hub and an important gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean. As Vertical continues to explore opportunities with airline and operator partners, the region represents a compelling market for potential future regional electric operations.

Exploring Network Partnerships

Vertical is working with leading infrastructure partners to explore the development of key routes in the area for its airline and operator customers, including the joint venture between UrbanV - a global leader in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure - and Signature Aviation, the world’s largest network of private aviation terminals; Skyports Infrastructure, a leader in the design, build and operation of vertiports for helicopters and eVTOL aircraft; and Vertiports by Atlantic Aviation.

Experience Valo at iConnections Miami

Valo will be on free public display as part of iConnections, the world’s largest capital introduction event. Members of the public and attendees can see the aircraft at the following times at the Bass Museum in Collins Park, 2100 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL:

About Vertical Aerospace

Vertical Aerospace is a global aerospace and technology company pioneering electric aviation. Vertical is creating a safer, cleaner, and quieter way to travel. Valo is a piloted, four-passenger, Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with zero operating emissions. Vertical is also developing a hybrid-electric variant, offering increased range and mission flexibility to meet the evolving needs of the advanced air mobility market.

Vertical combines partnerships with leading aerospace companies, including Honeywell, Syensqo and Aciturri, with its own proprietary battery and propeller technology to develop the world’s most advanced and safest eVTOL.

Vertical has c.1,500 pre-orders of Valo, with customers across four continents, including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL and Japan Airlines. Certain customer obligations are expected to be fulfilled via third-party agreements. Headquartered in Bristol, UK, Vertical’s experienced leadership team comes from top-tier aerospace and automotive companies such as Rolls-Royce, Airbus, GM, and Leonardo. Together, they have previously certified and supported over 30 different civil and military aircraft and propulsion systems.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that relate to our current expectations and views of future events. We intend such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. Any express or implied statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the public display at iConnections; the ability to launch the projected routes and expected journey times; the certification and the commercialization of the Valo aircraft and the timing thereof; the design and manufacture of the Valo aircraft; the features and capabilities of the Valo aircraft; the business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, including capital expenditure requirements, which may be higher than anticipated; the differential strategy compared to our peer group; expectations surrounding pre-orders and commitments; our plans for capital expenditures, as well as statements that include the words “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “project,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “may,” “should,” “anticipate,” “will,” “aim,” “potential,” “continue,” “are likely to” and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature. Forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including, without limitation, the other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 11, 2025, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and accordingly undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. We disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than to the extent required by applicable law.

Vertical is exploring a network for its electric and hybrid-electric aircraft across South Florida that would transform key journeys

Valo will bring the future of urban and inter-city travel to life in Miami

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — World Cup fans in a growing number of U.S. cities won't have an issue finding a well-poured pint to go with their late-night match.

State leaders across the U.S. are signing off on extending bar and restaurant hours during the world’s most-watched sporting event. They want to help businesses and improve fan experiences, particularly for those who may have been priced out of tickets. Others see the move as a last-ditch effort to boost sales as expectations for a World Cup economic boon have dampened.

So far, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington — states either hosting World Cup matches or adjacent to the activity — have all approved various measures to extend hours for alcohol sales during the tournament. Similar proposals are being considered in New York and Massachusetts.

The changes mean that closing time won’t come until 4 a.m. in Philadelphia during the World Cup and America 250 celebrations. In Kansas City, some bars can stay open as late as 5 a.m.

Many of these changes are dependent on municipality approval, and no business would be required to extend business hours. But for the hospitality industry, already struggling under waning sales and inflation, the option to stay open later is welcomed.

Mark Prinzinger, owner of Lion Sports Bar in Philadelphia, described watching soccer with fans from all over the world as a “magical experience." Now that he has the option to keep his bar open two hours longer, he’s hired extra staff, streamlined the menus and planned late-night programming.

“People want to have a beer with other soccer fans and the great thing about the World Cup is that it brings people together from all over the world into one place to watch a sport that everybody loves,” he said.

Prinzinger and other bar, restaurant and nightlife venues in Pennsylvania will be allowed to move their closing times from 2 a.m. until 4 a.m. during the World Cup and the America 250 anniversary celebrations, between June 11 and July 20. Gov. Josh Shapiro approved the legislation by releasing a video showing him cracking open a beer, signing off the social media post with a cheeky warning to the City of Brotherly Love's reputation for getting rowdy: “Celebrate responsibly, Philly.”

With more hours available to drink, some critics have raised concerns about public safety and potential strain on law enforcement even as the effort has received bipartisan support from lawmakers.

In Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas initially stated that his city “doesn't need bars operating 23 hours” during the World Cup and joked, “Worry not, if you want to drink a ton, bars can open quite early.”

Yet bar owners bristle under such opposition, saying that most businesses prioritize training staff to prevent patrons from being overserved.

“Just because people are hanging out at the bar watching a soccer game doesn’t mean they’re getting blitzed,” Prinzinger said. “In fact, I would say it’s completely the opposite. I think people want to watch the game. People want to be engaged.”

Rhode Island Rep. Teresa Tanzi agreed.

“Not everybody that’s going to walk into a place is going to be chugging drinks and getting loaded,” Tanzi, a Democrat, said earlier this month on the House floor. “There are going to be families who are going to want a cheeseburger, an American cheeseburger, and a Coca-Cola."

Rhode Island, which is closer than Boston is to World Cup matches host Gillette Stadium, is weighing whether to extend alcohol sales to 3 a.m. and closing times to 4 a.m. Currently, last call in the smallest U.S. state is 1 a.m., with some exceptions for its capital city of Providence.

Even Lucas relented, eventually submitting a plan allowing Kansas City restaurants and bars to remain open until 3 a.m., and certain establishments to remain open until 5 a.m. if they submit a security plan to the police department. Currently, alcohol sales can generally be made between 6 a.m. through 1:30 a.m.

The extended hours aren't entirely a U.S. trend. Pubs in England and Wales will be able to stay open as late as 2 a.m. if the English or Scottish teams are playing in the knockout stages after the U.K. government relaxed its licensing rules.

In Scotland, which has its own semiautonomous government, local authorities can allow pubs to stay open until 30 minutes after matches end.

According to the World Cup schedule, a majority of games will be held from early afternoon through early evening. But a handful start later, with four games starting at midnight and eight games starting at 10 p.m. for those watching in the Eastern time zone.

Just how big of a demand there will be for late-night bites and drinks is somewhat unknown. In the U.S., consumer habits have shifted drastically ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, with more people choosing to go out earlier in the day and spending less overall, said David Henkes, senior principal at Technomic, a firm that monitors restaurant and food industry trends.

“It’s so hard to stay open late night or overnight just because it’s hard to find labor,” Henkes said. “I applaud the effort to give restaurants an opportunity to earn more revenue, but I’m not sure that there’s going to be significant enough demand for it to make sense for a lot of operators to do so.”

Associated Press writer Brian Melley contributed from London.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Lion Sports Bar owner Mark Prinzinger poses behind the bar as fans watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Fans arrive to watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the Lion Sports Bar, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Fans watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the Lion Sports Bar, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Fans watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the Lion Sports Bar, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Fans watch a Champion league soccer match between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain at the Lion Sports Bar, Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)