Bidding race on for Vertical Aerospace eVTOL plant as shares debut

FILE PHOTO: Vertical Aerospace CEO Stephen Fitzpatrick poses for a photograph in London, Britain, October 12, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

(Reuters) - As the flying taxi market takes off, the race is on to decide where the future vehicles will be built with one of the backers of newly listed Vertical Aerospace - Irish leasing boss Domhnal Slattery - pushing for a manufacturing base in Ireland.

Shares in the electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) maker, backed by investors such as Slattery's Avolon aircraft leasing company and American Airlines, rose sharply at their market debut on Friday after a blank-check merger valued at $2.2 billion.