Save the date for the 2026 Transformative Vertical Flight (TVF) meeting! TVF 2026 returns to San Jose, California, and features two key events: theVertical Lift Aircraft Design and Aeromechanics Specialists’ Conference and the 13th Annual Electric VTOL Symposium. TVF 2026 is supported by the VFS San Francisco Bay Area Chapter and will take place Jan. 27–29, 2026, at the Doubletree by Hilton in San Jose, California.
Vertical Lift Aircraft Design and Aeromechanics Specialists' Conference
The San Francisco Bay Area Chapter has been holding a biennial conference since 1974. This year, the focus will be on integrated technical disciplines including aerodynamics, acoustics, dynamics, and flight dynamics, together with advanced aircraft design.
The TVF 2026 Call for Papers is now available! Abstracts due no later than Aug. 4, 2025 — no extensions!
Papers are invited in all areas related to rotorcraft/VTOL aeromechanics, including both crewed and uncrewed vertical flight aircraft. Papers describing design challenges of electric VTOL for advanced and urban air mobility (AAM/UAM), and planetary rotorcraft are sought. Topics of interest include:
- Design of vehicles and subsystems
- Advancements in aeromechanics analytical methods and theory
- Results from ground based and in-flight experimental testing and simulation
- Design, modeling, simulation and testing of electric, hydrogen and hybrid powertrains
- Practical application of digital engineering technologies
- Application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to design, optimization, testing and modeling of VTOL systems
- Lessons learned from VTOL aircraft development
Be sure to read the call for papers in detail to maximize your chance of your abstract being selected for this very competitive conference.
13th Annual Electric VTOL Annual Symposium
Running in parallel with the Aeromechanics conference, the eVTOL Symposium will feature invited presentations, panel sessions and discussions by leaders in this exciting field. This event is an excellent opportunity to learn about and discuss the latest advances in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and the challenges that remain. Invited presentations from all areas of eVTOL will be discussed, from researchers and leaders in academia, industry, and government agencies from around the globe, and cover all-electric, hybrid-electric, and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems.
This is a unique opportunity for designers, developers, innovators, investors, regulators, infrastructure providers, end users, media, and key influencers to share knowledge and work towards realizing the eVTOL revolution. This is also a tremendous networking opportunity for those new to the VTOL industry.
The Vertical Flight Society has been leading efforts in eVTOL since 2013, with more than a decade of eVTOL Symposiums, the Electric VTOL News website, featuring the comprehensive World eVTOL Aircraft Directory, and the fortnightly eVTOL Newsletter, begun in 2016.
Thank you to our VFS member volunteers!
- General Chair: Dr. Oliver Wong, US Army DEVCOM AvMC, Moffett Field, CA
- Symposium Technical Chair: Ms. Sarah Conley, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
- Specialists’ Technical Chair: Dr. Jeff Sinsay, U.S. Army DEVCOM AvMC, Moffett Field, CA
Exhibit and Sponsorship Opportunities
Available this summer.
Doubletree by Hilton, San Jose
2050 Gateway Place
San Jose, CA 95110