Chair of Leading U.K. Air Taxi Manufacturer Departs

Dómhnal Slattery said Tuesday that he would step back from his role as chairman of the board.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Vertical Aerospace’s full-scale air taxi prototype transitions from hover to forward flight at Cotswold Airport (EGBP) in the U.K. in April. [Credit: Vertical Aerospace]

Key Takeaways:

Vertical Aerospace's board chairman, Dómhnal Slattery, has departed, with non-executive board member Benjamin Story stepping in as interim chair during the search for a permanent replacement.
Slattery's exit occurs as the U.K. eVTOL developer transitions into the certification phase for its Valo air taxi, following recent milestones such as its inaugural piloted transition flight.
The company recently secured up to $850 million in financing to support its certification program, targeting completion by 2028.
Despite its progress and strong order book, Vertical Aerospace is also facing a patent dispute lawsuit from rival Archer Aviation.

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Vertical Aerospace, the U.K.’s leading developer of eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) air taxis, is seeking a new leader following the departure of board chairman Dómhnal Slattery on Tuesday.

Slattery in a post on LinkedIn said that although watching Vertical’s inaugural piloted transition flight in April was “one of the proudest moments of my career,” it was the “right moment for me to step back.” He added that the “next chapter belongs to the team taking Valo”—the company’s flagship air taxi, unveiled in December—“through certification.”