Eve Air Mobility has successfully executed the first partial transition flight of its electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) engineering prototype, activating the aircraft’s rear pusher propeller in flight for the first time.

In a press release issued on August 3, 2026, the Embraer-backed company confirmed the milestone, which validates the aerodynamic design during one of the most complex phases of eVTOL operation: the shift from vertical lift to forward wing-borne flight.

Flight test metrics and envelope expansion

During the test conducted in Melbourne, Florida, the prototype reached a maximum height of 90 feet above ground level. The flight lasted 3 minutes and 9 seconds, covering a distance of approximately 0.84 nautical miles.

Engineers activated the pusher propeller up to 1,200 RPM, allowing the aircraft to attain a stabilized speed of 27 knots and a maximum ground speed of 30 knots.

“This flight successfully demonstrated pusher activation in flight and validated key performance targets at the start of the transition phase. The data collected will support continued envelope expansion as we advance toward higher speeds and more complex transition flight testing,” said Marcelo Basile, Head of Engineering at Eve Air Mobility.

The engineering team will use the data from this partial transition to expand the airspeed envelope. Upcoming datalink testing will target speeds up to 50 knots.

Development timeline and regulatory progress

The transition flight follows the May 21, 2026, closeout of the prototype’s hover and low-speed flight block. That initial testing phase encompassed 59 flights and 2 hours and 27 minutes of accumulated flight time to prepare the aircraft for forward flight dynamics.

“This first partial transition flight is an important milestone in Eve’s development journey. Successfully activating the pusher propulsion system in flight validates a key aspect of our aircraft design and brings us one step closer to delivering safe, efficient and scalable air mobility solutions,” said Johann Bordais, Chief Executive Officer of Eve Air Mobility.

The flight test progress aligns with recent regulatory and commercial momentum for the production aircraft, designated as the Eve 100. On July 19, 2026, Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) published proposed noise certification criteria for the aircraft. During the same week, Eve secured an order for up to 16 eVTOLs from Shearwater Global Capital and signed a Letter of Intent with Moov for up to 30 aircraft intended for regional mobility in Cabo Verde.

Financial context

Following the announcement, Eve Air Mobility (NYSE: EVEX) shares saw a 2.6 percent premarket trading increase, reaching $2.38. The transition flight milestone arrives one day before the company is scheduled to report its second-quarter 2026 earnings on August 4, 2026.

AirPro News analysis

The transition phase is widely considered the most aerodynamically critical hurdle in eVTOL development. Managing the handoff of lift from vertical rotors to a fixed wing while engaging forward propulsion introduces complex structural and software challenges. By successfully activating the pusher propeller and gathering real-world data at 27 knots, Eve has cleared a major technical bottleneck. We view this methodical progression from the hover block to partial transition as a strong indicator of the program’s engineering discipline, which will be essential as the company navigates the certification process with ANAC and other global regulators.

Sources: Eve Air Mobility / Embraer

On July 30, 2026, Archer Aviation Inc. completed a piloted, roundtrip inter-city flight with its all-electric Midnight aircraft between Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS) and Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) in California. The flights serve as a template for the manufacturer’s upcoming commercial operations under the White House’s electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Integration Pilot Program (eIPP).

In a press release issued on August 3, 2026, Archer announced that each leg of the journey took approximately nine minutes, compared to an estimated 35 minutes or more by car. The company stated the flights were conducted in close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as it prepares for early commercial operations later in the year.

Preparing for the eIPP and LA28 Olympics

The White House established the eIPP via Executive Order 14307 on June 6, 2025, to accelerate the deployment of safe eVTOL operations in the United States ahead of full FAA type certification. On March 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) selected eight state-led projects for the program. This framework allows Manufacturers like Archer to conduct early commercial operations and gather operational data to inform future Regulations.

Archer is also preparing for operations in Los Angeles, where it will serve as the exclusive air taxi provider for the LA28 Olympic Games following a Partnerships announced on May 22, 2025. Archer Founder and Chief Executive Officer Adam Goldstein noted the significance of the California flights for these future networks.

“This roundtrip journey is exactly the kind of route we plan to fly with Midnight under the eIPP and in LA during the Olympic Games,” Goldstein said.

Expanding the operational template

The Salinas to Monterey route demonstrates the short-hop, inter-city capability that eVTOL developers intend to commercialize. Archer plans to use the data and procedures developed during these California flights to establish similar networks in other participating eIPP states.

According to the company, Archer is working with federal, state, and municipal governments to establish the necessary infrastructure and procedures. Goldstein stated that the recent mission provides a template the company intends to replicate with partners across Texas, Florida, and New York as it prepares for eIPP operations later in 2026.

AirPro News analysis

We view the completion of piloted, airport-to-airport flights in controlled airspace as a necessary maturation step for the eVTOL sector. By flying between Salinas and Monterey, Archer is moving beyond isolated test ranges and interacting with standard aviation infrastructure. The eIPP framework provides a critical bridge for the industry, allowing manufacturers to validate their operational models, battery performance, and turnaround times in real-world conditions while the FAA finalizes the broader regulatory framework for powered-lift aircraft.

Sources: Archer Aviation

Cosmic Aerospace unveiled the Cosmic One, a four-seat, all-electric aviation aircraft designed specifically to leverage the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) newly implemented Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) regulations, on July 30, 2026.

The Colorado-based manufacturer also announced local flight club Centennial Flyers as the launch customer for the aircraft, which targets a 2028 first flight and 2029 deliveries. The announcement follows the July 24, 2026, enactment of the MOSAIC rules, which expand light-sport aircraft (LSA) parameters to allow heavier, four-seat, factory-built electric aircraft to enter the market without undergoing the traditional, capital-intensive Part 23 certification process.

Aircraft specifications and performance

The Cosmic One features an embedded electric propulsion system utilizing six independent ducted fans integrated into the wing. According to specifications provided to AVweb, the aircraft is designed to meet the expanded performance limits allowed under the new regulatory framework.

Cosmic Aerospace released the following target specifications for the production aircraft:

• Maximum capacity: 4 seats
• Maximum speed: 250 knots
• Range: 250 nautical miles (plus Visual Flight Rules reserves)
• Endurance: Greater than 2 hours
• Climb rate: 2,000 feet per minute
• Maximum takeoff weight: 4,400 pounds
• Wingspan: 49 feet
• Recharge time: 30 minutes

Cosmic Aerospace Co-founder and CEO Christopher Chahine told Aviation Week the company is positioning the aircraft as a premium, high-performance product priced similarly to current Cirrus Aircraft models. The manufacturer opened reservations on July 30, 2026, requiring a fully refundable $2,500 deposit to secure a production position in the initial Founder Series.

The MOSAIC certification pathway

The development of the Cosmic One is directly tied to the FAA MOSAIC rules (Part 22). Prior to this regulatory update, certifying a clean-sheet electric aircraft required navigating the Part 23 standard, a process that typically takes up to a decade and requires hundreds of millions of dollars in investment.

Chahine told AVweb that while the physics of electric aviation have been viable for years, certification economics remained the primary barrier to market entry.

In a press release issued on July 30, 2026, Cosmic Aerospace detailed the impact of the new regulations on their business model:

“MOSAIC moves to performance-based standards, allows up to four seats, and for the first time clears the way for electric aircraft to be factory-built and certified. It’s designed to strengthen safety while opening the door to modern technology like electric propulsion. That change resets the economics and the timeline of building an airplane.”

Development timeline and launch customer

Centennial Flyers, a flight club based at Centennial Airport (APA) in Colorado, will serve as the launch customer for the Cosmic One. The organization, which currently operates 42 aircraft and serves more than 1,000 members, placed an order for four aircraft with options for two additional airframes.

Cosmic Aerospace has been developing the underlying technology since its founding. In February 2025, the company completed the first flight of its CX-2 subscale demonstrator, which utilized 32 embedded electric motors. Chahine noted to Aviation Week that the company focused initially on derisking its engine technology. He confirmed the subscale demonstrators proved the embedded engine architecture is stable, controllable, and capable of meeting performance targets.

The company plans to fly a full-scale prototype in 2028, with initial customer deliveries scheduled for 2029.

AirPro News analysis

The unveiling of the Cosmic One provides an early look at how the aerospace industry will respond to the FAA MOSAIC regulations. By expanding the definition of light-sport aircraft to include four-seat, heavier airframes with alternative propulsion, the FAA has effectively created a bypass around the prohibitive costs of Part 23 certification for specific operational profiles. We expect to see a rapid proliferation of clean-sheet electric and hybrid-electric designs targeting this exact regulatory window. Cosmic Aerospace is utilizing a pragmatic approach by securing a local, high-volume flight club as a launch customer, ensuring a controlled initial operating environment to build fleet hours and validate the embedded propulsion architecture.

Sources: Cosmic Aerospace