Hanneke Weitering is a writer and editor with AIN covering advanced air mobility and new flight technologies. She became an aviation journalist and joined the AIN team in the summer of 2022 after reporting on spaceflight and astronomy for six years at Space.com. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in science, health, and environmental reporting at New York University&#039;s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She is now based in Seattle near Boeing Field and spends her free time exploring nature in the Pacific Northwest.

Science & Technology Editor

Hanneke Weitering

Read the latest news about Beta Technologies.

The first electric air taxi to roll off the production line at Beta Technologies’ factory in South Burlington, Vermont, completed its first test flight on Wednesday with company founder and CEO Kyle Clark at the helm.
After inspecting the production-representative Alia CX300 aircraft fresh off the factory floor last week, the FAA granted Beta a multipurpose special airworthiness certificate that allows the company to fly the aircraft not only for research and development but also for pilot training and “market survey” purposes, which includes public flight demonstrations and data collection missions.
The experimental airworthiness certificate allows Beta to fly the aircraft under both visual and instrument flight rules day or night, “a sign of the FAA's trust in our program, flight safety record, and processes,” a company spokesperson told AIN.
FAA aircraft records show that Beta registered the aircraft with tail number <a href="https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=916LF">N916LF</a> in October. The CX300 is a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft that Beta intends to certify for commercial passenger and cargo operations in 2025. Beta is also developing an eVTOL version called the Alia 250 that it hopes to certify shortly thereafter.
According to Beta, Clark flew the brand-new CX300 for nearly an hour during its debut flight, reaching an altitude of 7,000 feet as he evaluated the aircraft’s handling qualities, stability, and control. Beta will need to log 50 hours of flight-test time on the aircraft before it is certificated to transition to <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-08-07/beta-wins-faa-approval-dual-control-evtol-flight-training">crew training</a> and market survey operations, the company said.

“This start of our production CX300 flight test campaign is a result of years of hard work and focus on studying customer requirements, hard engineering, manufacturing, production, quality, and test,” Clark said in a company statement. “It represents a significant milestone for Beta and is the beginning of an exciting new phase for the business. With this, we’re one step closer to putting this technology into the hands of our customers.”
The aircraft’s first flight comes just over a year after Beta opened the 200,000-sq-ft <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2023-10-02/beta-opens-net-zero-carbon-electric-aircraft-factory-vermont">manufacturing facility</a> at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (KBTV) in Vermont, where the company also has its headquarters.&nbsp;
“We learned a lot from this first production build,” Clark said. “We weren’t just building an aircraft company, we were building and refining a system to build high-quality aircraft efficiently. This first build allowed the team to collect data and insight on manufacturing labor, tooling design, processes, yields, and sequences, all of which are being used to refine our production systems.”
Ahead of the production CX300’s first flight, Beta had already conducted extensive flight tests with its SN1 prototype—a CTOL model originally intended to inform the design of the Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft before Beta decided to pursue certification for both configurations. The Alia SN1, with tail number N250UT, made its first flights in 2020 and has flown up to 386 miles on a single charge. Beta is also actively flight-testing the SN2 (N251UT), a VTOL model that achieved its <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-04-23/beta-achieves-piloted-evtol-aircraft-transition-flights">first transition flight</a> in April.
Beta’s spokesperson told AIN that another VTOL aircraft will be among the “early builds” to roll off the production line, along with a couple more CX300s that the company will use in for-credit certification testing with the FAA. “We will continue to ramp up production,” they said. “This first build taught us a lot, and that will allow the process to get smoother and smoother as we go forward.”

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Beta Flies First Electric Airplane Produced in Vermont Factory

First production-representative Alia CX300 takes flight

The first electric air taxi to roll off the production line at Beta Technologies’ factory in Vermont completed its first test flight on November 13.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Agreement covers up to 12 of the Alia-250 model and is Beta's second sale in New Zealand

New Zealand Air Ambulance Service Orders Beta's eVTOL Aircraft

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Midnight eVTOL aircraft production begins in 2025

Archer Completes Georgia eVTOL Factory

AmyWilder

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Deliveries of the turboprop single can now start in the UK

Piper M700 Fury Secures UK CAA Nod

Kerry Lynch

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Testing on Quarterhorse Mk 1 was completed in 21 days

Hermeus Completes Quarterhorse Demonstrator Ground Tests

Jessica Reed

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Leadership changes will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025

Dave Yip To Take Over as Acting CEO of Metrojet

N1000-XSS1 technology demonstrator achieves first test flight

U.S. Start-up Nimbus Flies Electric Bizjet Demonstrator

Latest structural tests earned credits towards FAA type certification

Joby Completes Static Load Tests on eVTOL Aircraft Tail

Charles Alcock

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

In this article

Beta Technologies

More In Aircraft