The company on Monday said it completed the first pilot training program for its Alia CTOL (also called the CX300) with a customer, United Therapeutics (UT), and its subsidiary, Unither Bioelectronics. Beta took company leaders and flight operations executives through its full CX300 pilot training syllabus, which the company intends to use during future in-aircraft training once approved by the FAA.

The move represents a step toward finalizing a CX300 training product to accompany initial aircraft deliveries to customers. Beta expects to begin deliveries next year following type certification.

UT was Beta’s first customer, placing an order for the company’s electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) Alia model and electric charging stations. The firm is also an investor, having provided Beta with $52 million to get off the ground and a $48 million contract to build Alia, which it helped design. Martine Rothblatt, founder and CEO of UT and a member of the Beta board, was the first noncompany pilot to fly the aircraft.

When Beta unveiled the CX300 in 2023, UT was one of its first customers alongside Bristow Group and Air New Zealand. The company intends to use the two aircraft to quickly transport medical cargo, such as 3D-printed organs, at what Beta claims will be a fraction of the cost of conventional designs.

Both models are fully electric and designed to carry up to 1,000 pounds of cargo, or as many as five passengers, in a space of 200 cubic feet, cruising at 135 knots. The Alia has an expected range of 250 nm, while the more robust CX300 has demonstrated a range of 336 nm during test flights.

Beta has already begun installing a nationwide network of electric charging stations for its aircraft to tap into and is working with FBO networks such as Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation to electrify their terminals.

But one major step remaining for the company, and all electric aircraft manufacturers, is developing a pilot training curriculum.

Beta’s tailored CX300 syllabus, which the company said it has been refining for years, must still be approved by an FAA Flight Standards District Office. Walking a customer through the process, though, suggests that the firm is anticipating the green light sooner rather than later.

Over three days, Beta took a team comprising seasoned Unither helicopter and fixed-wing pilots through a three-step curriculum covering ground training requirements, familiarization with the aircraft and its systems, and operational employment for air ambulance missions.

The process began with overviews of the aircraft’s manuals, aerodynamics, concept of operations, limitations, and requirements, followed by reviews of its electric propulsion technology, fly-by-wire flight controls, and other atypical systems.

Capping off the campaign was a series of simulator rehearsals, during which Unither pilots completed practical exercises, performance planning, and preflight and ground operations. These culminated in two simulated missions—one IFR, one VFR—along routes the company intends to fly with the aircraft.

“The tailored syllabus from this event will be used with future in-aircraft training utilizing Beta’s dual-seat trainer configuration,” Beta said.

Beta so far has trained eight of its own pilots to fly the CX300, in addition to Rothblatt and pilots from the FAA, U.S. Air Force, Army, and customers UPS and Bristow. This year, it completed several “real-world” missions during two CX300 deployments for the Air Force under its contract with AFWERX, the department’s innovation arm.

More recently, Beta received a lift when the FAA authorized it to begin training pilots on its Alia eVTOL. The company tells FLYING it will eventually walk UT and Unither pilots through a separate curriculum for that model.

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The company believes these were the first such deployments for an electric aircraft with major commands of the Air Force.

The on-base and cross-country missions with the Air Combat Command (ACC) and Air Mobility Command (AMC) included daylong and even multiday exercises. Beta characterized them as “real-world” missions that were conducted at the behest of the ACC and AMC, with a little help from AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm with which the manufacturer has worked since 2019.

The goal of these flights was to see how Beta’s Alia, a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) design, could support defense use cases such as resupply, cargo delivery, and personnel transport, including during combat. The aircraft seats up to five passengers and has a range of 250 nm.

Alia took off from Beta’s headquarters at Burlington International Airport (KBTV) in Vermont and embarked on a series of cross-country flights before arriving at the Air National Guard’s Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC) in Alpena, Michigan. There, with the ACC, the aircraft completed a four-day exercise.

Over the course of 24 flight hours, Alia moved more than 2,200 pounds of cargo—including 500 pounds at a time—delivered meals and equipment, simulated a medical evacuation between two bases, and filled in for a Lockheed C-130 Hercules that had a scheduled airlift canceled.

“We can be ready to take off in a matter of minutes, and the battery has a low center of gravity, which is not affected by the way you load the cargo,” said Ross Elkort, flight test engineer for Beta.

The next stop for Alia was Springfield, Ohio, where a pilot for UPS Flight Forward completed a ground school program, simulator training, and evaluation flight. Flight Forward in 2021 placed an order for the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) variant of Alia.

After that came a simulation of planned Alia routes in Virginia and a joint demonstration at Atlantic City International Airport (KACY) in New Jersey alongside the FAA, AMC, and others.

The AMC helped finish out the campaign with a series of flights between Dover Air Force Base in Delaware (KDOV) and McGuire Air Force Base (KWRI) in New Jersey, which are considered key hubs for military logistics. During a daylong exercise, AMC pilots flew Alia five times, delivering multi-hundred-pound payloads and slashing delivery times by more than half.

“It brings key innovation to the mission. It’s going to make things faster and simpler,” said Alyxandra Scalone of the Air Force’s 305th Maintenance Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. “Dover (AFB) is about two and a half hours away from us. Today’s flight only took 45 minutes.”

Over the course of the monthlong campaign, Beta said it deployed Alia with a 100 percent success rate.

Beta has worked with AFWERX through its Agility Prime division, which focuses on vertical lift technologies, since 2020.

Beta last year installed the first electric aircraft charger at a Department of Defense site at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The Alia eVTOL in 2021 became the first electric aircraft to receive military airworthiness approval for human flight.

The CTOL, meanwhile, was responsible for the first airman flight of electric aircraft and was the first of its kind to complete an Air Force deployment: a three-month campaign at Eglin’s Duke Field (KEGI) and Robins Air Force Base (KWRB) in Georgia.

From October to January, it completed what Beta claims to be the first simulated casualty evacuation and first live military exercise with an electric aircraft. The latter saw Alia fly alongside 350 airmen, demonstrating how the aircraft could integrate with existing military operations.

Meanwhile, in April, the Alia eVOL completed its first crewed transition from hover to forward flight, a key stage in that model’s development. The vertical lift version of Alia has received less attention than its counterpart, but AFWERX has shown interest in the configuration, working with eVTOL manufacturers such as Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation.

If all goes according to plan, the CTOL version of Alia will hit the market in 2025, followed by the eVTOL in 2026. The aim, however, is for the military to get its hands on the aircraft first.

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Since 2020, the U.S. Air Force has had a program called Agility Prime to look at electric aviation’s potential uses, but now legislators want the effort to be ramped up. As part of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, the bill would “set up a working group made up of top-ranking defense officials” to kick-start Agility Prime, and it’s throwing some major brass at it.

The new committee, if approved, would be run by the Secretary of the Air Force and would include the Army and Navy secretaries and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Air Force Secretary would have to submit a first report by September 2025 and annually until 2027.

The Air Force already has contracts with several companies developing eVTOLs, including Beta Technologies, which delivered a test article of its Alia aircraft to Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base, where it did its first test flight in November.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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The company on Tuesday said it completed a crewed, full transition flight of its Alia-250 (A250) eVTOL, shifting from vertical lift to forward cruise on fixed wings during the same flight. The model is one of two aircraft the firm is looking to commercialize in the coming years, along with a conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) Alia variant. Over four years of flight testing, Beta says its aircraft together have now logged more than 40,000 nautical miles.

Beta competitor Joby Aviation has also completed a crewed transition flight, putting a U.S. Air Force pilot at the helm in 2023. It claims to be the first to achieve the milestone. However, Beta’s flight is believed to be the first to include an out and back. Another competitor, Archer Aviation, said in January it is progressing toward a full wing-borne transition flight after it completed the first phase of its own flight campaign with the Air Force.

Like all of Beta’s test flights to date, the transition flight at the company’s flight test facility in Plattsburgh, New York, was crewed. Alia was piloted by Nate Moyer, a former Air Force experimental test pilot. The transition took place a few feet above the runway, with the aircraft relying solely on its fixed wings for cruise. Vertical propellers got the aircraft off the ground but remained stationary during forward flight.

According to Beta, the transition flight will provide key data the manufacturer will use to validate its design choices, as it works to type certify its eVTOL with the FAA. The eCTOL variant of Alia is expected to be given the all-clear about one year before then. But the company intends to conduct more crewed eVTOL transitions in the coming months.

The runway-independent aircraft will first be deployed by the U.S. military. Beta in January wrapped up its first eCTOL deployment for the Air Force and has delivered both aircraft and electric chargers to Eglin Air Force Base (KVPS) in Florida for Air Force testing.

The manufacturer also continues to collaborate with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force with which it has worked since 2020. Together, Beta and AFWERX in 2022 conducted the first airman flight of an electric aircraft.

Beyond the military, Beta expects its eVTOL to be used by cargo carriers and passenger-carrying operators. It has electrification partnerships with U.S. FBOs Atlantic Aviation and Shoreline Aviation to install charging stations for eVTOL and eCTOL service at FBO terminals from coast to coast.

As of March, the company has installed chargers at 19 locations, with a further 50 in the permitting or construction process. The systems are designed to accommodate both of Beta’s flagship models, but also those of its competitors.

Beta’s eVTOL customers include the United Postal Service, LCI, Blade Air Mobility, and Canada’s Helijet. Air New Zealand, meanwhile, has opted for the eCTOL Alia variant. Customers United Therapeutics and Bristow Group are looking to introduce both aircraft.

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The firm on Thursday announced a formal partnership with Signature Aviation, a FBO network for business and private aviation, to install systems at three East Coast airports, with discussions underway to include additional locations.

The first multimodal Beta charger is already installed and online at Signature’s Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (KMHT) terminal in New Hampshire, which the company said is the state’s first such system.

“Manchester is emerging as one of the top high-tech hubs in the Northeast, and we are honored that Manchester-Boston Regional Airport was chosen as Signature and BETA’s first operational electric aviation site,” said KMHT director Ted Kitchens. “This interoperable charging station will help enable Manchester and southern New Hampshire to have better access to electric aviation, which will bring us better regional air mobility as we move into this exciting new era of electric transportation.”

Additional chargers—which Beta said will come online this summer—are being installed on Signature terminals at Frederick Municipal Airport (KFDK) in Maryland and Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (KCHO) in Virgina.

“As one of the leading private terminal operators anywhere in the world, Signature takes a forward-leaning approach to best serve their broad base of aviators,” said Nate Ward, head of network development for Beta. “Beta has long been focused on building a reliable, accessible network of chargers for aircraft, and this collaboration represents another important pathway toward scaling our network.”

Beta’s chargers are designed to be multimodal and interoperable, accessible to the company’s aircraft, other developers’ electric models, or any electric air or ground vehicle.

The systems adhere to the international combined charging system (CCS) standard, which has also been proposed as the standard for electric ground vehicles. In September, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) endorsed the CCS alongside Beta, Archer Aviation, Lilium, Volocopter, Overair, Boeing’s Wisk Aero, and several other electric air taxi manufacturers.

Joby Aviation, one of Beta’s U.S. competitors, has proposed its own charging standard—the global electric aviation charging system (GEACS)—which it touts as an alternative to the CCS. In the electric ground vehicle space, Tesla’s North American charging system (NACS) is gradually supplanting the CCS as the industry standard. But Beta and others are pushing for the latter to become the norm in aviation.

Signature is Beta’s third FBO partner. The partnership follows a deal with Atlantic Aviation to install systems at New York’s Elmira Regional Airport (KELM), Birmingham International Airport (KBHM) in Alabama, Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (KJAN) in Mississippi, and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (KBAF) in Massachusetts. The Elmira site is already online.

Beta in February also partnered with FBO network AvFlight to inaugurate an electric aircraft charger at Golden Triangle Regional Airport (KGTR) in Columbus, Mississippi. The partners said it was the first such system to be installed in the state.

Now Signature, which bills itself as world’s largest private aviation terminal operator, is getting in on the action.

“We are thrilled to further solidify our partnership with Beta, which underscores our unwavering commitment to shaping the future of aviation through our sustainability initiatives in Signature Renew,” said Derek DeCross, chief commercial officer for Signature Aviation. “Together with Beta, we’re not only creating greater access to electric aviation but also unlocking new possibilities in regional air mobility for our guests, all while championing sustainability and innovation in the aviation industry.”

Signature earlier this week rebranded to emphasize its focus on aviation hospitality, customer experience, and sustainability. The firm achieved carbon neutrality across its entire global network in 2022 and last year said it pumped its 25th million gallon of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The company’s three East Coast sites now join Beta’s U.S. charging network, which spans the coast from Vermont to Florida and extends as far west as Arkansas. Chargers have now been installed at 19 locations, with another 50 sites in the permitting or construction process, Beta said Thursday.

Within the manufacturer’s network is the first electric aircraft charger installed at a Department of Defense (DOD) base. Customers include the DOD, regional and state-owned airports, FBOs, and even other electric aircraft developers.

Beta is already using the sites to charge its all-electric aircraft. It stopped at several charging stations in October during a 12-state, 1,500 nm journey to Eglin Air Force Base’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida, where it recently concluded an initial three-month deployment for the U.S. Air Force.

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The Beta-designed charger is capable of powering ground vehicles as well as aircraft. The equipment installed at KMGM includes a Level 3 fast charger located inside the airport fence, mainly for charging aircraft, and a Level 2 charger outside the fence for the public to charge electric vehicles.

• READ MORE: Beta Technologies Concludes First Electric Aircraft Deployment for Air Force

Beta has installed a number of charging stations at airports across the U.S. in a continuing effort to develop the electric aviation infrastructure in advance of the anticipated certification of its aircraft. So far, the company has established charging stations at 17 sites and has 55 more under development. 

“As we move closer to getting electric aircraft into operation, it is critical that we are building charging infrastructure where our customers need it,” said Blain Newton, Beta’s chief operations officer. “Montgomery marks the first charger in Alabama as we continue to deploy our chargers in key markets that will help accelerate connectivity among regional and rural communities.”

• READ MORE: Beta Technologies, Shoreline Aviation Partner with Massachusetts Agencies to Promote Electric Aviation

Montgomery Regional held a commissioning event on February 5, including representatives from the airport, Beta, Alabama Power, the Alabama Department of Transportation, and state government. Beta also flew its electric ALIA aircraft to the gathering to receive the first charge.

“The Montgomery Regional Airport is thrilled to welcome the dawn of a cleaner and more sustainable era in aviation with the installation of our new electric aircraft charger—a first for the state of Alabama,” said Wade A. Davis, MGM Executive Director. “With the commissioning of our state-of-the-art electric aircraft charger, we are not only energizing the spirit of innovation but also maintaining a commitment to be environmentally responsible.”

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Beta on Monday announced that it concluded its first deployment with the DOD at Eglin Air Force Base’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida. The three-month campaign involved Beta’s electric Alia CTOL, a mobile flight simulator, and the company’s built-in-house charging system.

U.S. Air Force pilots took Alia out for on-base and cross-country missions, completing performance evaluations and pilot and maintenance assessments. They also conducted experimental operations and training with the 413th Flight Test Squadron, an Air Force unit stationed at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia.

The deployment was part of the Agility Prime program, the vertical lift division of the Air Force’s innovation arm, AFWERX. Beta and AFWERX’s relationship dates back to 2020, when the Air Force unit first contracted the manufacturer. 

According to Beta, the three-month campaign is the next phase of a larger Air Force developmental test and evaluation (DT&E) effort to gauge the fit of electric aircraft for DOD missions. These could include critical resupply, cargo delivery, and personnel transport, use cases that mirror real-life operations the Air Force has planned.

The Alia CTOL arrived at Duke Field in October after flying 1,500 nm down the East Coast. During the flight, it traveled through Class B airspace in Boston and New York City. Alia also became the first electric aircraft to fly through Washington, D.C.’s flight restricted zone, en route to a stop at Joint Base Andrews.

In addition to flying Alia, Air Force pilots used Beta’s MobileDome simulator to rehearse flights, practice emergency procedures, and obtain feedback from DOD subject matter experts. Last year, the manufacturer installed a Level 3 DC fast-charger—the first electric aircraft charging station at a DOD site—to juice up Alia between test flights.

Major Milestones

Together, Beta and the 413th Flight Test Squadron assessed Alia’s flight operations, maintenance support, and ability to identify infrared signatures, among other tasks. The missions out of Duke Field ranged from short sorties to extended flights, averaging $15 per flight in energy costs.

One key achievement was the first simulated casualty evacuation with an electric aircraft. The experiment demonstrated how Alia could improve response times at forward operating bases (FOBs) in foreign territory. A Lockheed Martin HH-60W rescue helicopter carried a simulated casualty halfway to medical care, but Alia finished the mission, relieving the helicopter and its crew earlier than currently feasible.

The exercise also showed how electric aircraft can reduce evacuation resource requirements. For a sample trip, a Lockheed C-130 Hercules would require a crew of at least three and expend about $1,600 in fuel. But Alia could complete the same mission with a two-person crew and an energy cost of just $5 in electricity.

Alia also completed a Maintenance Recovery Team (MRT) mission, flying to a nearby Air Force base to collect parts, then back to Duke to service a simulated aircraft. The aircraft flew a distance normally relegated to driving, which the DOD said could open cost and workforce savings.

For example, the cost estimate for a maintenance response of a home-unit based Alia, covering two flight legs, is about $25 worth of electricity and an hour of flight time. A standard Ford F-250 pickup covering the same geographical distance would spend about $45 on fuel and drive for four hours.

Those faster response times could enable same-day maintenance and reduced aircraft downtime. The latter could in turn eliminate unexpected DOD lodging costs or the cost of transport to recover fixed aircraft.

While Air Force pilots whizzed around the sky conducting experiments, Beta pilots flew Alia from Duke Field to Valdosta, Georgia, where the company commissioned a new charger at Valdosta Regional Airport (KVLD).

A Key Partnership

Since collaborating with AFWERX in 2020, Beta has gone on to achieve several electric aviation firsts with the Air Force’s help.

In 2021, it became the first electric aircraft manufacturer to receive airworthiness approval from the military for crewed flight. The following year, it conducted the industry’s first and only airman flight with test pilots from the Air Force and Army. Also in 2022, Alia completed a groundbreaking eight-leg, 1,219 nm cross-country flight spanning six states.

Those achievements may not have been possible without AFWERX’s help. Based on Beta’s comment that its recent deployment is only the “next phase” in a grander plan, the DOD may continue its relationship with the manufacturer. The department is also working with rival air taxi manufacturer Archer Aviation and several other developers of electric aircraft.

If all goes according to plan, Beta’s Alia CTOL will enter service in 2025, followed by an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) variant in 2026. In October, the company opened a 188,500-square-foot production facility, where it will begin manufacturing when the time comes.

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On Wednesday, Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation joined Beta Technologies in collaborating with Atlantic Aviation, an FBO network and aviation services provider, to add electric charging stations to Atlantic locations across the U.S. The new infrastructure will open up the airfields to Joby’s S4, Archer’s Midnight, Beta’s Alia, and other electric air taxi designs.

Atlantic’s goal is to build technology-agnostic aviation infrastructure—in other words, it plans to work with a variety of firms to electrify its terminals. Joby said its agreement will initially focus on FBOs in New York and Los Angeles. Archer is also eyeing those two markets, in addition to San Francisco and Miami.

Beta, which announced its partnership last week, is targeting the East and Gulf coasts. The firm has already installed a system at New York’s Elmira Regional Airport (KELM) and agreed to add infrastructure to Birmingham International Airport (KBHM) in Alabama, Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (KJAN) in Mississippi, and Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport (KBAF) in Massachusetts.

All three manufacturers have hinted that more sites are on the horizon. In addition, each will work with Atlantic to study how its air taxi design can operate safely alongside traditional aircraft.

Joby and Beta did not provide timelines for their initial projects, but Archer said its early systems will come online in 2025.

“These initial eVTOL vertiport locations will provide a launching pad for future expansion across Atlantic’s portfolio and ensure that our Midnight aircraft has safe, centrally located landing facilities for our future passengers,” said Nikhil Goel, chief commercial officer of Archer.

In addition, a memorandum of understanding between Archer and Atlantic calls for the two to enter a strategic partnership down the line, based on Archer’s commitments for landing and infrastructure investments.

Beta, meanwhile, expects its collaboration to produce a “template” for FBO-OEM relationships. The blueprint would speed the execution of host site agreements (HSAs), which permit manufacturers such as Beta to install electric infrastructure at sites they do not own. Doing so would help the industry prepare for the first passenger-carrying air taxi flights in the U.S., which are expected to begin in 2025.

Clash of the Chargers

While Joby, Archer, and Beta are all working with Atlantic, they will be delivering slightly different systems. In fact, Joby has publicly clashed with Archer and Beta over the firms’ conflicting charging frameworks, both of which attempt to set the industry standard.

Interestingly, Archer will actually be installing Beta’s charging systems at Atlantic sites. The firms partnered in November to expand the latter’s infrastructure under the combined charging system (CCS) standard, which was originally developed for electric ground vehicles to make chargers accessible to any automobile. As part of the deal, Archer purchased several Beta systems and expanded the latter’s network to the West Coast.

The CCS has been proposed as a standard for electric aircraft and was recently endorsed by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), which enjoys significant sway in the aviation industry. Beta and Archer contributed to the endorsement, which also garnered support from Boeing’s Wisk Aero, Lilium, Volocopter, Overair, and other air taxi manufacturers.

Beta describes its solution as an “interoperable rapid charging system” for all kinds of electric aircraft and ground vehicles alike. According to Beta and Archer, “several top OEMs” in the aviation industry are designing for the CCS-aligned systems.

As of Monday, Beta chargers are online at 17 locations nationwide, with a further 55 sites in the permitting or construction process. The network includes the first electric aircraft charger at a U.S. Department of Defense site, which was delivered in September to Eglin Air Force Base’s Duke Field (KEGI) in Florida. Earlier in the year, Beta flew its electric conventional take off and landing (eCTOL) aircraft to the base, testing chargers in its network along the way.

“Over the past several years, Beta has been focused on deploying a reliable, well-distributed network of fast chargers to enable the entire advanced air mobility industry, and we are aligned with the team at Atlantic on our mission,” said Nate Ward, head of charge network development at Beta.

Joby’s Alternative

One of the few large manufacturers to snub GAMA’s endorsement of the CCS was Joby, which has come up with its own standard—the global electric aviation charging system (GEACS).

Like CCS, GEACS—which was unveiled the same day Beta and Archer announced their partnership—calls for chargers to be widely accessible. Joby also agrees with its rivals that air taxi manufacturers, not industry outsiders, should be the ones to build the charging systems. But while the proposals have similar aims, there are a few key differences.

Unlike Beta’s system, Joby’s includes a coolant mechanism that keeps batteries at an optimal temperature during charging. Beta opted instead to separate the two systems. Joby’s charger also includes several DC channels, which can be used to juice up multiple isolated battery packs simultaneously. Conversely, Beta’s system requires only one channel—its and Archer’s air taxis concentrate the battery packs in a single location, while Joby’s spreads them across the airframe.

Joby also intends to use an Ethernet connection to download data—such as battery charge level and temperature—while the aircraft charges. That means operations won’t be bogged down by ground personnel. Beta and Archer have not mentioned such a system.

“Through more than 30,000 miles of all-electric vertical flight with full-scale prototype aircraft, our team has fine-tuned a ground support system that allows for the simultaneous recharging of  multiple battery packs, external coolant exchange, and secure data offload after flight—making it suitable for all electric aircraft,” said JoeBen Bevirt, CEO of Joby.

According to the manufacturer, GEACS is already in place at its flight test center in Marina, California, and Edwards Air Force Base (KEDW) outside Los Angeles. In addition, at least one other FBO is interested in the system. Joby last week partnered with Clay Lacy Aviation to install chargers at its John Wayne Airport (KSNA) terminal in Santa Ana, California. Clay Lacy Aviation replaced Atlantic as a service provider at John Wayne in 2020.

It’s still unclear which standard—CCS or GEACS—will win out in electric aviation. But for the industry to be accessible, chances are only one will be adopted.

A parallel conflict is unfolding in the electric ground vehicle industry, which may or may not be a harbinger for electric aircraft. In that space, the CCS is steadily losing ground to the North American charging standard (NACS) developed by industry leader Tesla, as Ford, General Motors, Toyota, and other automakers switch over. The NACS is equivalent to GEACS—an alternative standard proposed by a firm unsatisfied with the industry’s recommendation. The comparison isn’t perfect, however, since Joby has yet to reach the scale of Tesla.

If it can, Joby has a real chance at setting the industry standard, despite its rivals’ support of the CCS. But as each manufacturer looks to increase industrywide reliance on its tech, Beta and Archer will likely fight fiercely to be the top dog.

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The Alia arrived at Duke Field (KEGI), located about 10 miles north of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in late October, marking Beta Technologies’ first delivery of an aircraft to a contracted partner.

• READ MORE: Beta Technologies’ Alia Electric Aircraft, Crew Arrive at Eglin AFB for Testing Program

During the first trial, which began November 7, Alia pilots flew 68 nm to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, where they landed before returning. When the aircraft arrived at Duke Field, it was then recharged for about an hour at a Level 3 recharging station—the first installed on a military installation, according to the service. After a maintenance check, the Alia then flew a second mission.

“This process is similar to the military flight operation hot pitting, where an aircraft flies a mission, lands for refueling, and then flies again. Only with Alia, the fuel is electricity,” Eglin AFB said in a statement.

• READ MORE: Beta Sells Electric Aircraft Chargers to Archer, Partners to Expand Network

During the first round of testing, 782nd Test Squadron sensor operators also incorporated infrared (IR) recordings, during the aircraft’s takeoffs and landings to collect heat signature data. The data is expected to be used to establish an IR baseline to calibrate sensors for another round of testing expected in December.

“We are trying to get an idea of what kind of IR signature this aircraft is putting out,” Josh Bohannon, 782nd Test Squadron senior electronics engineer, said in a statement. “We want to compare electric aircraft IR signatures to conventional fuel aircraft signatures. Infrared engine signature is a metric that helps determine survivability of an aircraft, and this is our first look at an electric aircraft engine in flight.”

• READ MORE: Beta Technologies Opens Electric-Aircraft Assembly Plant in Vermont

All data collected during the experimental flight testing, including battery usage and logistics findings, will be recorded for the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) program  underway by AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm.

“Part of the testing process was to install an aircraft charger on a military installation to capture lessons learned and hopefully inform and accelerate future projects at different bases,” Major Riley Livermore, 413th Flight Test Squadron flight commander, said last month. “The fixed charging station will also help us write procedures and safety requirements for the Air Force. They’re currently not defined because the technology is new.” 

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The Alia’s arrival at Duke marks the company’s first delivery of an aircraft to a contracted partner and the Air Force’s receipt of its first manned Beta aircraft. Beta recently worked with the Air Force to arrange the installation and commissioning of one of the company’s chargers at Duke Field earlier this month.

• READ MORE: Beta Technologies Opens Electric-Aircraft Assembly Plant in Vermont

Beta said the aircraft and its main flight testing team will stay at Duke for several months to work with the 413th Squadron to conduct hands-on experimentation and training with the Alia and its related technology. As part of the program, the Air Force will test and validate potential uses for the aircraft, including critical resupply, cargo delivery, and personnel transport.

During the trip from its home field in Plattsburgh, New York (KPBG), the Beta crew flew the Alia more than 1,500 nm across 12 states using a special market research certificate issued by the FAA. The company said it used the series of flights to test the aircraft in many challenging scenarios, such as flying through Boston’s Class B airspace and the Flight Restricted Zone around Washington, D.C. Beta also met with local airport and municipal officials during its many stops along the route and marked the installation of a charging station at Marshfield Municipal Airport (KHGH) in Massachusetts with a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month.

• READ MORE: Beta Technologies, Shoreline Aviation Partner with Massachusetts Agencies to Promote Electric Aviation

The company also held a groundbreaking event for the first electric aircraft charger in North Carolina at Raleigh Executive Jetport (KTTA), a project conducted in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and AFWERX, an Air Force program that fosters innovation within its ranks.

“For the past several years, AFWERX has provided critical input and support to the Beta programs. Deploying Alia for experimentation and training at Duke Field is the natural next step in our partnership,” said Kyle Clark, Beta’s founder and CEO. “We look forward to working hand-in-hand with the U.S. Air Force over the next few months as we work together to assess how the economic, sustainability, and energy independence benefits of electric aviation can serve our military.”

To supplement its collaboration, Beta provided a mobile simulator for training Air Force pilots in preparation for operations in the full-size Alia aircraft.

“The Department of the Air Force is constantly searching for the next generation of technology to make our warfighters safer and more efficient,” said Colonel Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the Department of the Air Force. “As agile innovators, we believe that partnering with American businesses is the key to this goal for delivering disruptive air capabilities.”

Beta said its Alia eCTOL and eVTOL aircraft continue to progress toward FAA certification. The company said it anticipates the eCTOL model will enter service in 2025 followed by the eVTOL in 2026.

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