The US Air Force has completed the maiden flight of its ALIA electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft at the BETA Technologies testing facility in New York.
Pilots Hank Griffiths and Maj. Jonathan Appleby became the first Airmen to fly the electric aircraft with two BETA test pilots.
According to the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), both pilots underwent extensive safety and preparedness training.
Receiving comprehensive ALIA manuals and other training materials, Griffiths and Appleby attended sessions covering aspects of ALIA piloting, from structures to flight controls and aerodynamics.
The flight marked the culmination of a two-year partnership between the aerospace firm and the AFWERX Agility Prime program.
“Since partnering in 2020, Air Force engineers have worked alongside BETA’s flight test team to develop and refine the ALIA aircraft to make electric aviation a reality,” AFRL said. “ALIA has made significant technical advancements throughout the partnership.”
‘Grateful for the Opportunity’
Appleby described his experience being one of the first Airmen to fly the ALIA eVTOL aircraft as both an “honor” and a “blessing.”
He extended his gratitude to the guide pilots and the entire BETA team for providing training and assisting them in using the eVTOL.
“I am excited to watch BETA continue to develop their revolutionary aircraft for civil and military use cases and grateful for the opportunity to experience electric flight,” Appleby expressed.
Meanwhile, Griffiths commended the teams who helped make the aircraft’s maiden flight a success. He said it has been a “pleasure” to work and fly with a “motivated and innovative group of people.”
The AFWERX engineering chief explained that the flight was one of the many the service will conduct with BETA Technologies as they seek to develop the aircraft for military applications.
“We need government pilots to accomplish those evaluations and this is the first step in developing the training and experimentation plans to do so,” Griffiths stated.
The ALIA Electric Aircraft
With a design inspired by the Arctic tern migratory bird, the ALIA eVTOL is powered by a direct-drive electric system and sealed battery packs. It features four horizontally mounted rotors for vertical lift and a single propeller to propel the plane forward.
Originally designed to be a cargo carrier, the eVTOL seats five passengers and a pilot. It can travel up to 500 kilometers (310 miles) at a maximum speed of 150 knots (277 kilometers/173 miles per hour).
The battery charging time is one hour.
“For over two years, we’ve worked hand-in-hand with the Air Force Agility Prime team to refine our electric aircraft, and we’ve made great progress together,” BETA chief executive officer Kyle Clark said.
He further remarked that the ALIA’s maiden flight marks an “important milestone, providing the opportunity for a clean future for our nation’s military.”