For more than seven decades, EAA AirVenture has been known as the world’s premier celebration of general aviation. In 2026, however, the event reached another milestone as vertical aviation (think: helicopters, electric aircraft, hybrid propulsion and Advanced Air Mobility or AAM) claimed a prominent place on one of aviation’s biggest stages. In the end, AirVenture 2026 may ultimately be remembered as the moment vertical aviation officially became part of mainstream general aviation.
Electric Aircraft Symposium Set the Stage
Touted by many as the world’s longest-running electric aviation conference and serving as the unofficial kickoff to the week’s festivities at AirVenture, the Vertical Flight Society’s (VFS) 20th Annual Electric Aircraft Symposium (EAS) took place over the weekend just prior to AirVenture.
Symposium planners Mike Hirshburg and Ken Swarts of the VFS Federal City Chapter indicated that this year’s highly successful event surpassed previous years in terms of both attendance and speakers. Nearly 200 participants from 12 different countries registered for the event, and the symposium showcased more than 50 speakers.
The speakers represented a broad cross-section of industry, including NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Florida Department of Transportation, Joby Aviation, Wisk Aero, Eve Air Mobility, Electra, Ampaire, Whisper Aero, Jump Aero, Robinson Helicopter, Bosch Aviation Technology, Pratt & Whitney Canada, Horizon Aircraft, H2FLY, Hydroplane and numerous other aerospace manufacturers, technology developers, infrastructure specialists and regulatory experts.
From the global perspective, topics presented included electric and hybrid-electric aviation concepts, advancements in hydrogen technology, infrastructure cost analysis, battery advancements, charging infrastructure, certification updates, autonomy, low altitude weather needs, government policy and more.
Takeaway: As the longest-running electric aviation event in the world, this symposium continues to grow in popularity. It has demonstrated its ability to attract leading expertise in electric, hybrid-electric and hydrogen aviation technology from around the globe.
Vertical Lift’s Historic Debut
Established through a collaborative effort between the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), Robinson Helicopter and Vertical Aviation International (VAI, formerly the Helicopter Association International), the inaugural Vertical Lift Center at AirVenture showcased dozens of vertical lift industry partners as one evolving ecosystem in the overall aviation market. The facility showcased innovation in the traditional helicopter market side by side with the Advanced Air Mobility market while inspiring the next generation of pilots, engineers, technicians and aviation professionals by highlighting the complete evolution of vertical flight.
As government and industry continue working together, events like AirVenture provide an opportunity to showcase how traditional rotorcraft and emerging electric aircraft will shape the next wave of vertical flight aircraft and careers.
Takeaway: The establishment of a dedicated Vertical Lift Center at the world’s largest general aviation event represents an important milestone for the vertical flight industry. Bringing traditional helicopters, emerging eVTOL aircraft, manufacturers, operators and technology providers together in one location helps position vertical aviation as an increasingly integrated and visible part of mainstream aviation.
SecTrans Briefs on eIPP
On Wednesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stopped by the AirVenture Vertical Lift Center and met with representatives from across the industry.
During his visit, Secretary Duffy discussed the Administration’s vision for AAM and the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program, or eIPP, an initiative aimed at accelerating the safe integration of next-generation aircraft into the National Airspace System through real-world operational partnerships.
While visiting the Center, Duffy spoke with VAI president and CEO Francois Lassalle about the importance of the administration’s Brand-New Air Traffic Control System (BNATCS) efforts that seek to revamp four infrastructure components: 1) Communications, 2) Surveillance, 3) Automation and 4) Facilities.
Takeaway: Secretary Duffy’s visit to the inaugural Vertical Lift Center and his discussion of eIPP sent an important signal that AAM remains a priority at the highest levels of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Equally important, modernization of the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure will need to anticipate the communications, surveillance, automation and facility requirements associated with integrating increasing numbers of powered-lift and other new-entrant aircraft into the National Airspace System.
VAI CEO Speaks
François Lassalle, president and CEO of VAI, was quick to point out the great collaborative efforts he experienced in working with Jack Pelton, CEO and Chairman of the Board of EAA, along with David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter, in establishing the very first Vertical Lift Center at AirVenture.
Lassalle, who took over the leadership role at VAI from James Viola last year, spoke to the VAI’s efforts in rebranding from Helicopter Association International (HAI) to VAI in conjunction with the association’s new five-year plan which calls for a phased execution across key areas including safety data, workforce development, advocacy, international growth and diversified revenue.
Lassalle went on to say that for him, “It was kind of cool and exciting to be right in the middle of this evolution of our industry, this inception point of bringing drones, advanced air mobility, and helicopters into the same airspace and how we coexist and integrate all of that together is going to be an important factor for me.”
Takeaway: VAI’s evolution from an organization historically centered on helicopters to one representing the broader vertical aviation community reflects a similar transition occurring across the industry. Successfully integrating helicopters, drones, powered-lift aircraft and emerging technologies into a common operating environment will require collaboration across sectors that have traditionally operated independently of one another. To that end, VAI has established a number of Industry Advisory Councils to provide its board and membership with guidance in these emerging areas.
MOSAIC Boosts AAM
Beyond new aircraft, perhaps the biggest regulatory topic discussed throughout AirVenture was the FAA’s new MOSAIC rule. Virtually every company I spoke with at AirVenture that was associated with AAM or eVTOL manufacturing touted the benefits that they were seeing due to the FAA’s MOSAIC (Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification) rule.
Published on July 24, 2025, and announced at AirVenture 2025 by Secretary Duffy, the MOSAIC final rule represents one of the most significant overhauls of light-sport aircraft regulations since the category was established in 2004. Rather than relying on the previous prescriptive weight and design limitations, MOSAIC adopts a more performance-based approach that allows larger, faster and more capable aircraft while accommodating a broader range of aircraft configurations and propulsion technologies. Importantly for the AAM industry, the rule also expands light-sport category aircraft certification to include rotorcraft and powered-lift aircraft, opening a potentially less burdensome certification pathway for certain emerging eVTOL designs.
Rani Plaut, CEO & Co-Founder at AIR, one of the manufacturers in attendance at AirVenture, indicated that AIR was currently concentrating on their two-seat eVTOL aircraft “AirOne,” which has a range of approximately 100 miles and is targeted at the general aviation market, to be certified under MOSAIC. Plaut went on to say that “It is not about us; it’s about flying. We think that the right product will enable many thousands of units per year.”
Another company leveraging the new MOSAIC rules for the development of two very different aircraft is SkyFly Technologies Ltd out of England, according to the company’s Founder and CEO Michael Thompson. Its first aircraft “Axe” is an all-electric two-seat vertical take-off and landing capable aircraft that takes advantage of a more efficient wing-borne cruise flight design with a range of approximately 100 miles. Thompson explained that the second aircraft, the “Longbow”, is a hybrid-electric autonomous unmanned platform focused on producing a logistics aircraft capable of carrying 200 kilograms up to 400 miles.
Takeaway: MOSAIC could prove to be one of the most consequential near-term regulatory developments for the emerging personal and recreational eVTOL market. By moving toward performance-based criteria and incorporating powered-lift aircraft into the Light-Sport Aircraft framework, the rule provides manufacturers with a potentially more accessible pathway for bringing smaller, less complex eVTOL aircraft to market.
Industry Innovation
Jump Aero Incorporated also celebrated their inaugural AirVenture appearance with a full-scale mockup of their innovative aircraft concept the JA1 “Pulse”. According to Carl Dietrich, Founder and president at Jump Aero, his company is an aerospace and defense startup that is developing an all-electric “tailsitter” aircraft designed specifically to cut emergency response times in half for first responders in rural areas. Dietrich said that “We’ve also been working with the AFWERX team because there are some DoD use cases for the technology, but our primary driver is coming out of emergency response, helping a paramedic or an EMT get to a rural or hard-to-reach location, helping get there as quickly as possible, stabilizing the patient and buying time.”
Takeaway: AirVenture demonstrated that innovation in vertical aviation is not limited to eVTOL aircraft. Improvements to conventional helicopters, electric propulsion, autonomous aircraft, avionics, safety systems and mission-specific designs suggest that the next generation of vertical flight will evolve across multiple technologies rather than through a single aircraft or propulsion concept.
Noticeable Absences & Missing Things
As aircraft technology continues advancing, many industry leaders acknowledged that the next major challenge extends well beyond aircraft certification. Developing the infrastructure necessary to support helicopters, electric aircraft, hybrid propulsion, hydrogen fueling, charging systems, weather integration, air traffic management, and community acceptance will ultimately determine how quickly Advanced Air Mobility can scale. Throughout AirVenture, discussions repeatedly returned to the realization that the future of vertical aviation depends as much on the places aircraft operate as on the aircraft themselves. While many equated this to a chicken-and-egg scenario, everyone agreed that if we didn’t start paying more attention to infrastructure the AAM industry will not prosper in the way many envision.
Notably absent from AirVenture, especially given the inaugural debut of the Vertical Lift Center, were some of the larger traditional helicopter manufacturers such as Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo helicopter, formerly known as AgustaWestland. While Airbus has been an exhibitor at AirVenture in the past Leonardo has never participated in the event. One challenge of course for many companies is the fact that the Farnborough International Airshow was being held in the United Kingdom so close to AirVenture. That said, many attendees saw this as a missed opportunity during what was viewed by many as a landmark year for the vertical flight industry in Oshkosh.
Takeaway: AirVenture demonstrated that the aircraft side of AAM is advancing rapidly, but infrastructure may ultimately determine how quickly, and how broadly, the industry can scale. At the same time, the absence of several major helicopter manufacturers highlights an opportunity for the Vertical Lift Center to expand its reach and become a more comprehensive representation of the global vertical flight community.
Maybe Next Year?
AirVenture has always reflected where aviation and innovation are headed. In 2026, that direction became unmistakably vertical. Whether powered by turbine engines, batteries, hybrid-electric systems, hydrogen or technologies yet to emerge, the future of aviation increasingly includes aircraft capable of taking off and landing without a runway. The debut of the Vertical Lift Center suggests that the vertical future has already begun.
The next step is to build on this momentum with a larger, more visible and even more inclusive showcase that fully represents the global vertical flight community, from today’s helicopters to tomorrow’s electric, hybrid-electric, hydrogen and autonomous aircraft…and the infrastructure providers that will support them.
Photo credit: Rex Alexander/Five Alpha LLC