FAA approves Beta's customer demo flights

The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Wednesday that it has authorized Beta Technologies to carry potential customers on demonstration flights. The company is the first in the electric aviation sector to receive this specific approval. The authorization was granted for the Alia, which is Beta's electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

Beta conducted the first flight under the new certification on Tuesday. An Alia flew from Plattsburgh International Airport across Lake Champlain to Burlington International Airport. The company stated that it will soon fly with operators and key stakeholders so they can experience the aircraft firsthand. An unnamed spokesperson provided this information in a statement.

The approval is a step toward full FAA certification for Beta's planes. The agency had previously chosen Beta for a series of flight tests approved in March. Beta CEO Kyle Clark said in a press release that the authorization brings vertical flight closer to the people and places that will use it. He noted that the move builds on the company's track record of industry firsts.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy issued a press release praising the development. He stated that incredible things are happening in aviation thanks to President Trump and his commitment to innovation. Duffy called the FAA's special airworthiness certification of the A250 aircraft another critical step toward enabling the future of flight in America.

A Beta spokesperson told Seven Days that the company expects initial federal certification for individual aircraft components next year. Full certification of the eVTOL aircraft is expected in 2028. The company is preparing for a major expansion of its manufacturing facilities in South Burlington, where it is primarily based. It may also expand in North Carolina.

Beta maintains a working relationship with the federal government and the U.S. military. Secretary Duffy visited CEO Clark and the company in May. In June, the aircraft maker unveiled an autonomous electric cargo plane intended for military use. Clark expects multiple branches of the military to eventually use Beta's electric aircraft.