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Leasing group LCI is planning to add up to 125 of <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/beta-evtol">Beta Technologies’ Alia 250 eVTOL</a> aircraft to its portfolio. In a deposit-backed agreement signed with the manufacturer on April 27, the Ireland-based company committed to taking an initial batch of the five-passenger aircraft, with options for 75 more.
LCI says the Alias will complement its current fleet of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, almost doubling its aviation assets to 270 units. The company, which is part of the Libra Group, with aircraft and operations in some 50 countries, intends to provide commercial, financial, and supply-chain expertise. Since its formation in 2004, it has conducted aviation transactions valued at over $8 billion.
“We are embracing this new era of sustainable flight and Beta Technologies’ innovative approach makes them a natural and credible partner for LCI,” said LCI CEO Jaspal Jandu. “We believe that the aircraft’s blend of rechargeable battery power, significant internal capacity, and plentiful range is an optimal one. We are confident it will be a popular choice for operators and end-users seeking to develop and augment their fleets with this truly sustainable technology.”
According to Vermont-based Beta, the Alia will have a range of 250 nm (287 miles) with five passengers and a pilot. Alternatively, it can carry 1,400 pounds of freight for applications such as logistics deliveries.
The manufacturer says the all-electric aircraft will be able to recharge in under an hour. It is developing a network of charging infrastructure in the U.S.
“As a leading aircraft lessor with an established global track record, LCI has a strong pulse on what operators are looking for,” said Kyle Clark, Beta's founder and CEO. “We are gratified by their confidence that the solutions we’re building will answer the need for next-generation, zero-emission electric aircraft. We are excited to partner with LCI and push adoption of this solution forward within the industry.”

Managing Editor

Charles Alcock

Lessor LCI Places Deposits for Up to 125 of Beta's Alia 250 eVTOL Aircraft

Beta Technologies has raised a further $375 million to support the development of its <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/beta-evtol">Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft</a> and charging infrastructure in a round of private financing led by TPG Rise Climate, the dedicated climate investing strategy of TPG’s global impact investing platform TPG Rise, and Fidelity Management &amp; Research Company. The Vermont-based start-up called the funding round announced on April 20 as, “meaningfully oversubscribed.”
Fidelity also backed an earlier funding round that raised $368 million in May 2021. That round was also supported by Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, and Beta has now raised a total of $796 million.
Designed initially for the transportation of medical products and cargo, the Alia 250 will carry 1,400 pounds of payload and requires less than an hour to charge after full missions. While Beta Technologies sees the Alia primarily serving cargo, logistics, and medical applications, it also plans a configuration meant to carry up to five passengers and a pilot. The company expects the aircraft to gain FAA type certification in 2024.
Beta also has built and deployed multimodal, charging infrastructure across the U.S. to support electric vehicles, including various types of eVTOLs and ground electric vehicles. The company has begun the installation of more than 65 charging locations now online or in the permit phase and plans for “hundreds” more at strategic locations. 
The network already extends from Burlington, Vermont, to Melbourne, Florida, and Bentonville, Arkansas, and Beta plans to continue expansion across the U.S. The charging network includes on- and off-airport stations, featuring new capabilities and providing what Beta calls “a true end-to-end solution” for customers' full fleet of ground and air vehicles.&nbsp;
“Zero emissions aviation is a critical part of turning the corner on climate change, and we are thrilled that our investors see our electric aviation system as a meaningful step towards this ambitious goal,” said Kyle Clark, Beta’s Founder and CEO. “This support allows us to complete the construction of our production facilities and accelerate our certification work to create a greener and more efficient future for all applications of aviation, starting with cargo and logistics and moving to passenger missions immediately thereafter.”&nbsp;
In recent months, Beta has achieved critical technical and airworthiness milestones. In March, two U.S. Air Force pilots flew the Alia 250 in a handling qualities evaluation test, marking the first-ever manned flight of an electric aircraft through the Afwerx Agility Prime program. The flight marked a key step in the U.S. Air Force’s evaluation of Beta’s aircraft for use in future missions. In preparation for the flight, the USAF pilots underwent extensive safety and preparedness training for the flight tests, completing intensive aircraft academics on Beta’s Alia, attending thorough ground school sessions to learn every system of the aircraft from the Beta subject matter experts who built them, and undergoing simulator training to understand how to manage unplanned events. “This deep engagement is illustrative of Beta’s overall real-world approach to safety,” said the company. 
Beta says it holds committed orders and contracts with leading operators across military, medical, cargo and passenger. Package delivery giant UPS, for one, placed a firm order for 10 aircraft with the option to order an additional 140 and reserved the right to purchase Beta's charging stations. Beta’s first customer, United Therapeutics, plans to use the aircraft to transport its manufactured and repaired organs for human transplantation and will use its charging stations to support those missions.&nbsp; 
In addition to a recent first crewed flight milestone,&nbsp;the Alia 250 was the first eVTOL to receive military airworthiness approval for a manned electric aircraft through the program. The U.S. Army signed a contract with Beta earlier this year to support the advancement of its operational flight test program. Blade Urban Air Mobility ordered five Alia aircraft and reserved an option for up to 20 to support plans to serve a diverse set of mission profiles, including airport transfers and longer-distance commuter routes.
Beta said it plans to use the latest tranche of funds to accelerate growth and operations as it progresses toward FAA certification of the Alia. Specifically, it will continue to refine its electric propulsion systems and controls, advance testing of its two Alia prototypes, and expand its charging infrastructure. 
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Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

Beta Secures $375 Million To Support Development of Alia 250 eVTOL Aircraft and Charging Network

A pair of&nbsp; U.S. Air Force (USAF) pilots have conducted the first flight demonstration of <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/beta-evtol">Beta Technologies' Alia 250 eVTOL</a> aircraft crewed by military personnel as part of the Afwerx Agility Prime program. The U.S. manufacturer today reported that on March 9, the all-electric vehicle was flown by Hank Griffiths, chief of engineering and airworthiness and test lead for the Air Force’s Afwerx team, and Major Jonathan Appleby.
Under an Agility Prime small business innovation research contract aimed at evaluating the potential for eVTOL aircraft to be used for military applications, USAF engineers have been working with the Beta team for&nbsp;two years. In May 2021 the Air Force awarded the first military airworthiness approval for a crewed electric aircraft to the six-seat Alia 250 that the company is aiming to start delivering in 2024. 
According to Beta, the crewed test flights marked the next step in its partnership with the USAF. This is expected to give the Agility Prime team more data points to inform plans to electrify the Air Force inventory and to better understand the types of mission profiles that eVTOLs could undertake.
Before flying the Alia for around one hour each, both USAF pilots were able to study its performance manual. On March 7 and 8, they conducted extensive training that covered aircraft structures, electric motors, batteries, flight controls, avionics, aerodynamics, and safety. 
Griffiths and Appleby then spent time practicing the flight test route in Beta’s so-called “thunderdome” simulator before taking the controls of the Alia accompanied by, respectively, test pilots Camron Guthrie and Lochie Ferrier. The flight tests took off from Beta’s facility in Plattsburgh, New York, which is 35 miles from the company’s headquarters in South Burlington, Vermont.
“Today’s USAF qualitative evaluation flight is the first of many that we will be doing with Beta Technologies and our other Agility Prime vendors,” Griffiths said after the flight. “In addition to accelerating these companies’ path to FAA type certification by providing access to USAF engineering expertise and test infrastructure, we are also evaluating these prototypes for opportunities to utilize them for unique military missions. We need government pilots to accomplish these evaluations, and this is the first step in developing the training and experimentation plans to do so.”
In December 2020,&nbsp;USAF&nbsp;Capt. Terrence McKenna&nbsp;conducted the first remotely-piloted flight of an eVTOL aircraft under the direct control of the government. McKenna, who is a reserve pilot and test&nbsp;and experimentation lead with the&nbsp;Agility Prime program, participated in remote-pilot-in-control&nbsp;exercises on Kitty Hawk’s Heavyside vehicle.
Beta has named the Alia after the Arctic tern bird, which it says flies farther than any other migratory bird when it relocates between the poles over a distance of nearly 25,000. The start-up is targeting a range of 250 nm and a top speed of 150 knots, with a full recharge time of under an hour.
As it continues the process of achieving type certification for the Alia, which has a 50-foot wingspan, Beta is also working on plans for a network of charging infrastructure across the U.S. It already has installed 60 charging stations between Vermont and Arkansas. 
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U.S. Air Force Pilots Take the Controls of Beta's Alia for First Crewed Military eVTOL Flight

The U.S. Army is to support flight testing of the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/beta-evtol">Beta Technologies Alia 250 eVTOL</a> aircraft to assess possible military applications. Under a contract announced today, which does not mention specific financial backing for the program, Army engineers will participate in flight testing, “to evaluate mission applicability, including measures of range, altitude, endurance, and payload limits before testing specific cargo and logistics missions.”
Beta’s flight-test program has also been supported by the U.S. Air Force, which last year issued military airworthiness approval for the Alia and provided funding under an earlier contract as part of its Agility Prime program. The company has conducted multiple flights between its headquarters at Burlington International Airport in Vermont and nearby Plattsburg in New York. The longest flight to date with the all-electric aircraft, which uses fixed-pitch propellers, was 205 miles and it has cruised at altitudes of 8,000 feet.
“This partnership with the Army marks another important step in the military’s commitment to advancing and adopting sustainable electric aviation solutions,” said Beta founder and CEO Kyle Clark. “We’re gratified by the continued support of the sector, and this allows us to accelerate our development of Alia as an incredibly safe and reliable logistics aircraft for both military and civil applications.”
The company’s board of directors includes Will Roper, the former U.S. assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics. He was instrumental in establishing the Agility Prime program, which is seeking to support efforts to exploit the potential for eVTOL aircraft for use in military missions, mainly through small business technology transfer contracts.
During the Reagan National Defense Forum held on December 5, 2021, the Air Force's chief of staff, General Charles Brown, praised the Afwerx program for expediting the development of technology that could strengthen national defense. "It has marked a real cultural shift [in how public and private sectors collaborate], so we work very closely together rather than just pushing [a product or technology] back and forth over a fence until it works," he commented.
In the commercial aviation market, several prospective customers have signed “rights to purchase” the Alia, which is expected to complete FAA Part 23 type certification in 2024. These include express delivery group UPS, which plans to add 150 aircraft to its fleet, the medical group United Therapeutics, which intends to transport human organs for transplant, and passenger charter flight booking platform Blade Urban Air Mobility.
Beta intends to support operators by providing electric charging infrastructure that can be deployed across a network of locations.
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U.S. Army Looks To Enlist Beta's Alia eVTOL with Flight Test Contract

CAE is to develop pilot and maintenance technician training programs for <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/beta-evtol">Beta Technologies’ Alia 250 eVTOL</a> aircraft. The aviation training group will work with the manufacturer throughout the development and type certification process to support launch customers expected to begin operating the all-electric model in 2024, including UPS, United Therapeutics, and Blade Urban Air Mobility.
In a September 15 announcement, CAE said it will&nbsp;“develop a full suite of innovative, digitally integrated curriculum and courseware solutions for the aviation workforce of tomorrow.” The Canada-based company has been training pilots and other aviation professionals for more than 70 years, with customers in the airline, business aviation, and defense sectors worldwide.
Developers of eVTOL aircraft, including Beta, say they are designing these to be simpler to operate and maintain to take account of the anticipated high rates of utilization in roles such as air taxi services and cargo deliveries. Like most other companies in the field, Beta has not yet revealed the configuration for flight deck systems but is clearly involving CAE closely in the development process. “The new training program will be built from the ground up, in parallel with Beta’s aircraft certification journey, taking into account the unique operational and mission-specific inputs for this aircraft,” said the partners in their joint statement.
In July, CAE announced it is working with Germany-based Volocopter to prepare to train pilots for its eVTOL aircraft. The training company is investing $40 million in equipment and instructors, including aircraft type-specific simulators.
In May, Jaunt Air Mobility said that CAE is producing an engineering simulator to support development work with its eVTOL aircraft. The Jaunt Aircraft Systems Integration Lab will be in Montreal where CAE and Jaunt’s development and manufacturing hubs are based.
Late last year, CAE published its updated Pilot Demand Outlook report for 2020 to 2029, estimating that the civil aviation industry will need around 264,000 new flight crew in this decade. The report pointed out that this figure does not take account of pilots and mechanics who will be needed for the advanced air mobility sector’s planned new operations and business models.
Blade has committed to adding 20 Alia 250s to its passenger transportation network, with the new $4 million aircraft to be acquired through “third-party financing relationships” with its operating partners. Express delivery group UPS Flight Forward said it plans to take delivery of 10 aircraft in 2024, with options for a further 140 units. 
Medical technology group United Therapeutics, whose founder Martine Rothblatt is an investor in Beta, has committed to acquiring an unspecified number of Alia 250s. In December 2020, she told the International Aerospace Innovation Forum&nbsp;that the company is also considering EHang’s autonomous eVTOL vehicles and Eco Helicopters’ planned electric-powered R44 rotorcraft for various applications, including delivery of human organs for transplant.
In May, Beta raised $368 million in a funding round supported by Fidelity Management &amp; Research Company and Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund. The Alia 250 aircraft will carry a pilot and up to five passengers or 1,500 pounds of cargo.
The Vermont-based start-up offers to cover costs for all employees to gain pilot licenses,&nbsp;to give them a closer understanding of aircraft engineering. Its team has backgrounds that include&nbsp;the FAA, the U.S. military, Boeing, Tesla, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, and General Electric.
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CAE To Provide Pilot and Mechanic Training for Beta's Alia 250 eVTOL

Will Roper, the former U.S. Air Force assistant secretary for acquisition, is joining the board of eVTOL aircraft developer Beta Technologies. In a July 13 announcement, the company also named&nbsp;Edward Eppler, the former head of aerospace and defense investment banking with Goldman Sachs, as its chief financial officer.
During his time with the U.S. Defense Department, from 2018 through January 2021, Roper was a strong advocate for military applications for eVTOL aircraft and their supporting technologies. He was behind the launch of the Agility Prime run by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Afwerx unit, which is supporting partnerships with industry to stimulate research and development work to advance civil-military use cases. 
In recent weeks, Vermont-based Beta’s plans to bring the Alia 250 eVTOL model to market in 2024&nbsp;have been boosted by commitments from prospective customers Blade Urban Air Mobility and express delivery group UPS to buy up to 170 aircraft. The company is seeking type certification under the FAA’s Part 23 rules.
On a full charge, the $4 million, all-electric Alia will be able to operate on routes of up to 288 miles, carrying six people (including a pilot) or three standard cargo pallets at speeds of up to 170 mph.&nbsp;The design features four fixed-pitch vertical lift propellers mounted on beams connected at the wing and a pusher propeller at the rear of the fuselage.
Medical group United Therapeutics, which is an investor in Beta, has previously committed to using the Alia for transporting human organs for transplants. Other financial backers for a recent $380 million Series A funding round include institutional investors led by Fidelity and Amazon’s Carbon Pledge Fund.
In March, Beta started the next phase of flight testing for&nbsp;the Alia prototype and in May the U.S. Air Force granted the aircraft military airworthiness approval, clearing the way for manned flight trials under an Agility Prime contract. Last week, the company completed a flight of 205&nbsp;miles using only three of the Alia’s five battery packs, which are installed in the center of the fuselage for easy access. It is developing equipment to fully recharge the aircraft in around 50 minutes. It has also conducted flights between a pair of public airports, flying from Plattsburgh in upstate New York to Burlington International Airport in Vermont.
Roper joins a board of directors that already includes United Therapeutics CEO Martine Rothblatt, Stone Point Capital CEO Chuck Davis, Dean Kamen of Deka Research and First Robotics, and John Abele, co-founder of Boston Scientific. He recently became CEO of commercial drone company Volansi, whose business Beta considers to be&nbsp;"complementary" to its own.
“Supporting the military allowed me to work with many first-of-its-kind technologies,” commented Roper, who previously led the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office and was acting chief architect at the Missile Defense Agency. “Joining Beta’s board continues this by spearheading the first sustainable, reliable electric aviation ecosystem. What Beta is building requires vision, but it’s the company’s technological innovation and approach to design and certification that is making this vision reality. I’m proud to join a team that is pushing boundaries and leveraging military programs as a means to do it. This is what I hoped for when starting Agility Prime.”
Eppler comes to Beta after a 30-year career in investment banking, with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, as well as private and public financing campaigns. Prior to his time with Goldman Sachs, he was a partner at Moelis &amp; Company.
The Beta team already includes engineers and specialists from organizations including electric automobile pioneer Tesla, Honeywell, Pratt &amp; Whitney, Rolls-Royce, SpaceX, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Electric, the FAA, and the U.S. Navy. All employees are encouraged to become licensed pilots and to fly the company’s diverse fleet of aircraft to gain first-hand insight into design, performance, and operational considerations.
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Appointment of Agility Prime Founder Roper Boosts Beta's Leadership Team

Beta Technologies has raised $368 million to support the development of its <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/beta-evtol">Alia 250 eVTOL</a> aircraft in an oversubscribed private round of funding led by Fidelity Management &amp; Research Company. The Vermont-based company announced today that Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund also has backed the latest round, as well as new and returning investors who participated in the earlier Series A funding initiative.
The Alia 250 is expected to enter service in 2024, with initial customers including express delivery group UPS and operators serving the Blade Urban Air Mobility service. On a single charge, the aircraft will carry a pilot and up to five passengers, or 1,500 pounds of cargo. Another early customer for the aircraft is the United Therapeutics group, which will use the Alia to transport human organs for transplant. “In the world of medical transplant it’s important that we create the most reliable and sustainable system for mobility in all weather conditions,” commented CEO Martine Rothblatt.
Beta also said on Tuesday that it has initiated the permit process to expand its footprint in Vermont with the construction of a facility at Burlington International Airport. The facility will include space for offices, research and development, and manufacturing. 
“We support Beta Technologies’ mission to reshape air transportation through zero-emission aviation and we are proud to invest in them through Amazon’s $2 billion Climate Pledge Fund,” said Kara Hurst, vice president and head of worldwide sustainability at Amazon. “The development of sustainable and decarbonizing technologies will help facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy and protect the planet for future generations.”
Beta said it would allocate further funds to accelerate production and manufacturing of its aircraft and the introduction of charging infrastructure, which the company says remains on schedule for a 2024 delivery. 
“We’re gratified by the confidence this diverse group of investors has placed in our team as we continue on our mission to transform how people and goods move about the world,” said Kyle Clark, Beta’s founder and CEO. “These funds allow us to continue hiring the best talent, meet aggressive certification milestones, ramp up production of Alia, and accelerate the rollout of an extensive high-speed universal charging infrastructure.” 
In March, Beta advanced to the next phase of flight testing, completing an interstate flight with the Alia from its Plattsburgh, New&nbsp;York&nbsp;home airport test facility to the company’s headquarters on the grounds of Burlington International Airport in Vermont. During the same week, the Alia flew its first interstate flight and the aircraft set a Beta record for endurance, range, and altitude. 
The company said that it encourages all of its employees to learn to fly in order to get firsthand experience with aircraft operations, design, and performance. Its team already includes a former FAA project manager who was responsible for the agency’s engagement with new aviation technology companies and veterans of Tesla’s electric vehicle program. Other members of staff have been recruited from organizations including Honeywell, Pratt &amp; Whitney, Rolls Royce, Boeing, and the U.S. Navy.
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Fidelity and Amazon Back Beta In $368 Million Funding Round

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has awarded military airworthiness approval for the <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/beta-evtol">Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft</a> being developed by Beta Technologies. The company’s flight-test program for the six-seat model will contribute data for the air force’s Agility Prime program to assess the suitability of advanced air mobility technology for military missions.
For more than a year, the USAF has been evaluating the Alia in terms of its engineering, operational, and flight-test capabilities against the U.S. military’s 516c airworthiness certification criteria. Under an Agility Prime contract, the Alia will help the air force assess possible procurement requirements.
Beta has commitments from express delivery group UPS to buy 150 Alia eVTOLs, with first deliveries targeted for 2024. Blade Urban Air Mobility intends to add up to 20 to its passenger transportation network and these will be acquired via its partner operators.
In December 2020, the USAF issued airworthiness approval to Joby Aviation’s eVTOL prototype. The five-seat design has started conducting flight testing under an Agility Prime contract as it aims to enter commercial service in 2024. 
Under the terms of its military flight release, the Joby aircraft is conducting unmanned operations with both vertical and conventional takeoffs and landings. The FAA has approved it for piloted experimental flight.
Vermont-based Beta also will provide the USAF with access to its simulation and training facilities to allow them to test the Alia for various possible missions. Beta has equipped an advanced urban air mobility simulator near the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in Springfield, Ohio, which is convenient for the air force's technical acquisition team, and another test facility in Washington, D.C., that can be used by senior air force officers to evaluate the technology. The high fidelity simulators can generate scenarios to take account of any weather, emergency handling, and battle damage conditions, as well as supporting advanced mission scenario simulation. Beta has also installed battery&nbsp;recharging units at the Springfield site to support test flights.
AFRL engineers will conduct dynamic structural analysis on an Alia prototype using their ground-vibration testing methods. The data generated from this will be used to safely advance the aircraft’s flight-test program, as well as giving the USAF a more complete understanding of the design.
Last month, the FAA gave approval for the Alia to fly beyond its designated test area in Plattsburgh, New York. This cleared the way for flights to and from that facility at the company’s headquarters in nearby South Burlington, and the aircraft already has completed flights of more than 140 miles and at altitudes of around 8,000 feet.
Agility Prime is intended to accelerate the development and commercialization of advanced air mobility technology that could have military applications. According to Col. Nathan Diller, director of the USAF’s Afwerx unit, the Alia is the first aircraft to have been issued with airworthiness authorization for manned flights. “This not only unlocks the opportunity to begin Air Force-directed manned flight tests, but it also shows the high level of maturity of this technology and the high level of maturity of Agility Prime partner companies like Beta,” he commented.
“Electric aviation is a national security priority and fortunately this was recognized early by the Air Force,” said Beta Technologies founder and CEO Kyle Clark. “The speed and efficiency of the Air Force Agility Prime program to support sustainable electric aviation has been remarkable. The people and expertise that the Air Force has brought to the electric aviation industry—and specifically our Alia program—is accelerating the development of incredibly capable, safe, and reliable aircraft.”

U.S. Air Force Awards Airworthiness Approval to Beta's Alia eVTOL Prototype

Blade Urban Air Mobility has reached an agreement to add&nbsp;up to 20 of <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/beta-evtol">Beta Technologies’ Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft</a> to its passenger transportation services network. The deal announced today calls for the all-electric lift-and-cruise model to join Blade’s fleet in 2024, with operations expected to start in 2025.
In the announcement, Beta refers to the Alia as an “electric vertical aircraft" (EVA)&nbsp;rather than using the standard industry term eVTOL. Last week, express delivery group UPS announced that it will buy 150 of the aircraft, plus some of Beta’s electric charging stations, with the first 10 aircraft due to be delivered in 2024.
On a full charge, the $4 million Alia will be able to operate on routes of up to 250 nm (288 miles), carrying six people (including a pilot) or three standard cargo pallets at speeds of up to 170 mph. Beta says it will take 50 minutes to recharge the aircraft, which is to be certified under FAA’s Part 23 rules. 
Blade says that initially, the Alia will operate from the company’s existing private terminal infrastructure in the northeast U.S. where Beta will install its purpose-built recharging facilities. Most of the company’s services, which currently use a mix of helicopters and amphibious fixed-wing aircraft, are&nbsp;concentrated around the New York City area, as well as south Florida, Nantucket, and the Hamptons. According to Beta, the Alia will be 10 times quieter than a helicopter when hovering, and even quieter during cruise flight.
According to Blade, the aircraft will be acquired through its “third-party financing relationships” with its operating partners as part of its “asset-light” operating model. Jet Linx Aviation is set to be the first Blade partner to start operating the Aria and is expected to take an initial batch of five aircraft under an interim agreement. This&nbsp;includes a commitment from Blade to book a minimum number of revenue flight hours.
The operator is backed by RedBird Capital Partners, which is also an investor in both Blade and Beta Technologies. The "binding agreement" with Beta calls for Blade to take at least 5 and up to 20 of the new aircraft.&nbsp;
“The Alia’s extremely low sound footprint coupled with its zero-emissions design will enable us to reduce the noise and environmental impact to the communities surrounding the existing heliport and airport infrastructure we currently use,” said Blade founder and CEO Rob Wiesenthal. “Alia is a full-scale EVA flying in piloted configuration almost every day. The [Beta] team’s progress is formidable.”
In December 2020, Blade announced plans for an IPO merger with special purpose acquisition company Experience Investment Corp. This transaction is expected to close in May&nbsp;2021.
According to Beta, its founder, CEO, and chief pilot Kyle Clark has logged several hundred hours in over 250 flights in the Alia and the company's earlier Ava XC technology demonstrator. The company’s progress with the development program for the new aircraft has largely been conducted privately by an engineering team recruited from organizations including Boeing, Tesla, SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, General Electric, and the FAA. 
The company said that it has already developed flight simulators to train Alia pilots. These are located at its headquarters in Burlington, Vermont;&nbsp;Washington, D.C.;&nbsp;and Springfield, Ohio. 
Beta plans to develop a network of charging stations at sites across the U.S. to support operators. These will have an elevated deck on which the aircraft can land, plus workspace and rest facilities for the flight crew.
Medical technology group United Therapeutics is an investor in Vermont-based Beta and has previously committed to buying an unspecified number of the Alia aircraft for transporting human organs for transplant procedures. Beta is also receiving support from contracts awarded by the U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime program to accelerate the commercialization of air mobility vehicles that could have military applications.

Blade Orders 20 Beta Alia Aircraft for Air Mobility Services

Beta Technologies today signed up a third customer for its <a href="https://www.futureflight.aero/aircraft-program/beta-evtol">Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft</a> with UPS Flight Forward announcing plans to buy up to 150 units. The express package delivery giant said that it intends to take delivery of the first 10 aircraft in 2024, with the remaining 140 units covered by options.
With the capability to take off&nbsp;and land directly on UPS properties, the eVTOL aircraft would move smaller loads that would otherwise be transported to and from airports on small feeder aircraft or on the ground. Vehicle specifications for the all-electric Alia show a cargo capacity of 1,400 pounds and a range of 250 miles.
“This is all about innovation with a focus on returns for our business, our customers, and the environment,” said Juan Perez, UPS chief information and engineering officer. “These new aircraft will create operational efficiencies in our business, open possibilities for new services, and serve as a foundation for future solutions to reduce the emissions profile of our air and ground operation.”
The company intends to use the recharging stations that Beta has developed to recharge the batteries for each aircraft in less than one hour. While allowing for faster cargo loading and unloading, the charging stations also offer&nbsp;the aircraft&nbsp;batteries a second life. After their first lifecycle in an aircraft ends, they can be fitted to the charging station to recharge the aircraft’s onboard batteries or be used to power UPS’s fleet of electric ground vehicles.
UPS says it already has more than 12,000 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles deployed worldwide. It is committed to purchasing up to 10,000&nbsp;electric ground vehicles from Arrival, many of which that manufacturer will produce in&nbsp;North Carolina.&nbsp;
Beta has been working on its eVTOL aircraft design since 2017, with the Alia 250 having been developed from an earlier technology demonstrator called the Ava. It is conducting extensive test flights with a prototype operating out of Plattsburgh Airport in New York, which is close to the company headquarters in Burlington, Vermont. 
The United Therapeutics medical technology group has previously committed to buying an unspecified number of Alia 250s to use for transporting human organs for transplant procedures. The U.S. Air Force is also backing Beta with a research and development contract through its Agility Prime program.
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Beta Technologies

News

Lessor LCI Places Deposits for Up to 125 of Beta's Alia 250 eVTOL Aircraft

Beta Secures $375 Million To Support Development of Alia 250 eVTOL Aircraft and Charging Network

U.S. Air Force Pilots Take the Controls of Beta's Alia for First Crewed Military eVTOL Flight

U.S. Army Looks To Enlist Beta's Alia eVTOL with Flight Test Contract

CAE To Provide Pilot and Mechanic Training for Beta's Alia 250 eVTOL

Appointment of Agility Prime Founder Roper Boosts Beta's Leadership Team

Fidelity and Amazon Back Beta In $368 Million Funding Round

U.S. Air Force Awards Airworthiness Approval to Beta's Alia eVTOL Prototype

Blade Orders 20 Beta Alia Aircraft for Air Mobility Services

UPS Commits to Operating Beta's Alia eVTOL Aircraft for Package Deliveries

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