This recent week-long military mission evaluation was likely one of the most significant moments in Beta Technologies’ history thus far. The Alia cTOL (which is the conventional takeoff and landing version of its fully electric aircraft) achieved a feat that no other similar electric aircraft has accomplished before; it became the inaugural of its kind to actively participate in a live Agile Combat Employment (ACE) scenario.
The exercise occurred at the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center and involved over 350 Airmen from six different states. It was a complex Air National Guard exercise divided into multiple smaller ones connected to various missions. The Airmen had to simulate attacks and casualties and swiftly relocate to bases without central command. Alongside their traditional flying machines, they had access to an electric aircraft – the Alia cTOL.
Throughout the ACE exercise, the Alia primarily served as an alternative for cargo transportation. It played a crucial role in transporting essential supplies and facilitating short-notice medical evacuations. In total, it successfully completed 16 missions over the span of five days, operating between Savannah and three neighboring locations.
The participation of Alia confirmed that electric aircraft could significantly impact various military operations in terms of speed, efficiency, and costs. Electric aircraft like Alia could support military missions just as effectively, if not more efficiently, than conventional aircraft while requiring fewer resources and incurring lower operational and maintenance costs.
Beta has been a longstanding participant in the Agility Prime program. During this time, Alia became the first electric aircraft to receive an airworthiness certificate from the military for piloted flight and the sole aircraft to conduct piloted evaluation flights with Army and Air Force test pilots. Now, its participation in a live ACE exercise adds to this impressive list of achievements.
Simultaneously, the Vermont-based eVTOL manufacturer is preparing for success in the civilian market with its Alia eVTOL. As if that wasn’t enough, it is also at the forefront of dedicated eVTOL infrastructure development. Beta is diligently working towards establishing a nationwide electric charging network for aircraft, and it has made remarkable progress.
After all the hard work, Beta is finally nearing the finish line, which will actually mark the beginning of commercial service. The Alia cTOL is expected to make its debut as early as next year, followed by the eVTOL version a year later. All Alia aircraft will be produced at Beta’s state-of-the-art facility in South Burlington, Vermont, spanning nearly 200,000 square feet (18,580 square meters).
According to the Source autoevolution.com