The only way is up: Vertical flight on show and Airbus lands a heavyweight of freight

With the proliferation of eVTOL projects, vertical take-off and landing is no longer the exclusive privilege of helicopters.Participants in this specialist sector of the aviation industry have been demonstrating their latest products and developments at the Verticon 2026 exhibition in Atlanta.FlightGlobal’s European aerospace editor Dominic Perry discusses the highlights of the show and asks whether electric air mobility is just smoke-and-mirrors or a realistic prospect.And as Airbus secures the most significant order yet for its A350F, air transport editor David Kaminski explains why the deal represents more than just a set of healthy numbers in the new freighter’s backlog.