Beta Technologies this week demonstrated its Alia CX300 electric aircraft at Shannon Airport in Ireland. The aircraft is set to tour Europe making multiple stops en route to Norway, where it will be delivered to launch customer Bristow for operational trials.
The visit to Shannon, which included meetings with Irish government leaders, including transportation minister Seán Cannery, was organized with the support of Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI). According to the organization, electric aircraft have the potential to provide a new mode of transportation for more than 89 million travelers moving around the country for business or leisure purposes.
The Alia aircraft that conducted flight demonstrations this week, starting on May 19, is one of several that Beta has already built at its final assembly line in Vermont, and it crossed the Atlantic on a ship. Beta has conducted multiple demonstration flights in the U.S., including a multi-stop journey from New York state to California.
According to FMCI's CEO, Russell Vickers, the Alia flight demonstration is a significant milestone in the agency's efforts to support the growth of air mobility through initiatives such as developing a charging network for new aircraft and a vertiport at Shannon Airport. "When companies like Beta come to Ireland, they help accelerate innovation at home, bringing new skills, technologies, and opportunities to our aviation ecosystem."
Next Stops in UK and France
After leaving Shannon, the Alia CX300 (tail number N214BT) visited Weston Airport near Dublin before crossing the Irish Sea to Liverpool. The flight across Ireland was 153 nm, with Beta pilots Chris Caputo and Nate Moyer flying under VFR rules and arriving at Weston with sufficient IFR energy reserves.
In the coming week, the aircraft is expected to visit airports in the UK, France, and several other locations before it arrives in Norway in the late summer. Beta’s team is traveling with a portable version of its Cube electric charging units to support the aircraft at its various stops. These flights demonstrate real-world innovation, with Ireland acting as a proving ground to what comes next."
"This is more than just an arrival, it's a springboard to bring the future of aviation to Europe," said Kyle Clark, Beta's founder and CEO. "Advanced air mobility, and our aircraft specifically, is practically purpose-built for the distributed geography and weather conditions of Ireland and the rest of Europe. With its spirit of innovation and growing leadership in future transportation solutions, we see Ireland as a strategic partner and gateway to the broader European aviation market."
Beta is aiming to achieve FAA type certification for the CX300 conventional takeoff and landing model this year and is also developing an eVTOL version of the design, called the Alia 250. Both versions will be able to carry up to five passengers and a pilot, or up to 1,250 pounds of cargo. The CX300 is expected to have a typical service range of around 250 nm, and the company has yet to confirm the projected range for the Alia 250.
This story was updated on May 28 to add more details about Alia's flights to Weston Airport and Liverpool.