Electric Aircraft Flies Eight Legs Across Six States

In a remarkable milestone for an electric aircraft, Beta Technologies has flown its Alia test demonstrator on an eight-leg mission across six states achieving a total distance of 1,219 nm.

Thom Patterson

Friday, June 03, 2022 at 08:17 AM ET

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During the eight-leg flight, Beta Technologies Alia test demonstrator flew across parts of New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas. [Courtesy: Beta Technologies]

Key Takeaways:

Beta Technologies' electric aircraft, Alia, successfully completed a groundbreaking 1,219 nm cross-country mission across six states, demonstrating the viability of long-range electric flight.
The mission involved multiple recharges at Beta's multimodal charging stations, highlighting significant cost savings (e.g., $19 per leg vs. $800 for a chase plane) and proving the practicality of their electric charging network.
This achievement marks a major step forward for electric aviation, with Alia expected to receive FAA certification by 2024 and already securing orders for cargo and organ transport from companies like UPS and United Therapeutics.

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In a remarkable milestone for an electric aircraft, Beta Technologies has flown its Alia test demonstrator on an eight-leg cross-country mission across six states totaling 1,219 nm.

“It’s not something that I know has been done previously, and it will be the first time that our aircraft has done it,” said Beta flight test engineer Emma Davis in a company video. “So it’s a huge step forward showing that it is a viable future to have an electric aircraft that can travel long ranges, not just short hops.”