Watch BETA Technologies’ First Production Aircraft Take to the Sky

November 13 was a proud day for Kyle Clark, who is not only the man who founded Beta and the company's CEO but also the official test pilot. It was therefore even more special for Clark to conduct the first flight of the company's production aircraft. The experience didn't take more than an hour, enough for the Alia CTOL to take off, climb to 7000 feet (2,130 meters), perform a couple of tests, and then land.

It was just the beginning of an extensive flight campaign. After completing the standard 50 hours, the ALIA CTOL will be allowed to fly outside of the facility's headquarters in Burlington, and training of additional pilots will also be allowed. These activities are covered by the Multipurpose Special Airworthiness Certificate for Experimental Research & Development, Market Survey, and Crew Training granted by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to the new production aircraft.

This milestone wasn't just about the aircraft itself but also a key moment for Beta's new production facility. The full-scale manufacturing facility became operational last year, and the Alia CTOL that took to the sky two days ago was the first unit to roll off the assembly line. The feedback from this initial manufacturing process will be used to improve and streamline the production systems further.

While the Alia CTOL continues its flight test campaign, the Plattsburgh facility will keep working on aircraft units in both CTOL and VTOL configurations.

Last year, Beta announced that its Plattsburgh facility will be turned into a state-of-the-art, multiple-function center. It would primarily operate as a final assembly hub for the Alia aircraft and function as a permanent flight test center and delivery hub for the flagship aircraft.

The Alia will be commercially available as a VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) and CTOL (fixed-wing electrical conventional takeoff and landing), which lacks the lifting propellers for vertical flight. The CTOL version will be the first one to become fully certified, and it's designed to fly at 270 kph (167.7 mph) and cover more than 480 km (298 miles) on a single charge.

Beta's flagship has convinced numerous operators of its potential, including the prestigious Air New Zealand. Plus, it was one of the first of its kind to be eyed by the US Army for military applications.
Beta has also developed multi-modal charging solutions, and many of them are already up and running in multiple locations across America, with the goal of establishing a nation-wide network in support of AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) operations.