A vertiport planned for Bicester Airfield is to go ahead.

Cherwell Local Council has approved Bicester Motion’s planning application to build a vertiport. It will be adjacent to existing runways and will include a ‘compact’ 1,700 square foot (160 square metre) passenger terminal.

credit: Bicester Motion

The vertiport will be built and operated by Skyports Infrastructure and will feature Skyports technology, including the Resource Management and Scheduling System (RMSS) and Vertiport Automation System (VAS). It will be used by the UK’s Vertical Aerospace to test the prototype VX4 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Vertical’s VX4 is designed to be piloted, carry four passengers and have a range of up to 100 miles.
The aircraft successfully completed its first tethered piloted flight in July and is now progressing with its piloted test flight programme.

credit: Bicester Motion

Daniel Geoghegan, Chief Executive of Bicester Motion, said: “This is a significant moment for Bicester Motion and the future of aviation here. The former RAF Bicester was born in a period of intense technological innovation and played its part in 1938 when the prototype Halifax L7244 made its maiden test flights from Bicester. Today, we continue to welcome aircraft from all eras, including new mobility technologies, to deliver a sustainable future for our historic airport through pioneering partnerships such as Skyports. The green light for the vertiport allows us to continue to host such aviation innovation and champion a world where sustainable and affordable electric aviation is within everyone’s reach, with Bicester Motion at its heart.”

The vertiport is being developed as part of the Advanced Mobility Ecosystem Consortium: a group of leading UK aviation, technology and transport organisations pioneering AAM in the UK, supported by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Flight Challenge.

Construction is expected to begin in the autumn.