MELBOURNE, Fla. – October 31, 2026 -- Eve Air Mobility (NYSE: EVEX, EVEXW; B3: EVEB31) said its engineering eVTOL prototype completed a first partial transition flight, activating the rear pusher propeller in the air for the first time and reaching a maximum ground speed of 30 knots.
Prototype holds 27 knots with pusher spinning at up to 1,200 RPM
The aircraft attained a stabilized speed of 27 knots while the pusher ran at up to 1,200 RPM. The flight lasted 3 minutes and 9 seconds, covered approximately 0.84 nautical miles and peaked at 90 feet above ground level.
The pusher activation marks the start of the transition phase, in which the aircraft shifts from vertical lift to wing-borne flight. Eve describes this phase as one of the most critical aspects of eVTOL flight.
Eve says the test confirms a key element of its aircraft design
CEO Johann Bordais said activating the pusher in flight validates a key aspect of the design. Marcelo Basile, head of engineering, said the flight validated "key performance targets at the start of the transition phase" and that the data will support envelope expansion toward higher speeds and more complex transition testing.
Loads analyses and datalink tests precede 50-knot operations
Eve's flight test engineering team is continuing loads and structural analyses to support future envelope expansion. After the flight-testing program, the company plans datalink testing to validate radio link performance and support operations at speeds up to 50 knots.
Over the coming weeks, Eve expects to progressively expand the airspeed envelope. This includes additional flights with pusher activation as part of the broader transition flight-test campaign.