Advanced Air Mobility Modern Flying

What I Learned at Beta Technologies’ Media Day

Electric aircraft manufacturer brought select reporters to its Vermont facilities.

Wednesday, July 01, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

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An optionally piloted variant of Beta Technologies’ electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) Alia A250 comes in for a landing during a formation flight. [Credit: Matthew Leighton]

Key Takeaways:

Beta Technologies' all-electric Alia CX300 features intuitive fly-by-wire controls, allowing even inexperienced individuals to pilot it, highlighting its ease of use and dual-control training capability.
Beta is developing the Alia CX300 (conventional takeoff) and A250 (VTOL) electric aircraft, which share common core components and a simplified, efficient design to reduce operational costs and streamline certification.
The company targets CX300 certification next year and A250 VTOL certification in 2028, with plans to initiate early commercial revenue operations for cargo, medical, and potentially passenger transport with pre-certified aircraft as early as September under the FAA's eVTOL Integration Pilot Program.

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There are many active and former pilots who write and contribute content for FLYING. I am not one of them. Yet on June 3, I found myself at the controls of an all-electric aircraft.

The fly-by-wire controls of Beta Technologies’ Alia CX300 are intuitive enough that I—someone with zero flying experience—was able to take command from test pilot Chris “Pooter” Caputo for a few minutes without plummeting into Lake Champlain, next to the company’s facilities in Burlington, Vermont.

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.