Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

This morning, Beta Technologies made a test flight of its six-seat, all-electric Alia-250 EVA eVTOL at&nbsp;the Westchester County Airport (KHPN)&nbsp;in White Plains, New York. The flight, which was performed in cooperation with Blade Air Mobility,&nbsp;was the first of an eVTOL aircraft in the New York metropolitan area. The Alia-250 flew alongside a conventional helicopter before pulling away for a second pass above the airport to highlight the eVTOL’s comparative quietness. Beta claims its noise profile is one-tenth that of a conventional helicopter.
In April 2021, Blade agreed to facilitate the purchase of up to 20 passenger-configured Alia-250s by its network of operators. Blade intends to deploy these aircraft on routes between its network of dedicated terminals in the U.S. Beta has also agreed to provide and install charging infrastructure at certain key locations.
"This is a historic moment for Blade, New York, and the urban air mobility industry," said Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal. "This demonstration is a big milestone in our transition from helicopters to electric vertical aircraft, and we are pleased that our partners at Beta&nbsp;have designed the right aircraft with the requisite range, capacity, and noise profile&nbsp;for use in our key markets, including our home base of New York City.”
Beta&nbsp;founder and CEO&nbsp;Kyle Clark added,&nbsp;“We continue to progress our aircraft, flying real-life missions and gaining proficiency in the national airspace. We were glad to be able to fly here from our flight&nbsp;test facility in Plattsburgh [New York] to work with Blade to operationalize our partnership." Beta has produced two prototype aircraft to date. They were flown by U.S. Air Force and Army test pilots last year—the first flight of eVTOL aircraft by pilots from those services.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

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Beta and Blade Prove eVTOL Viability with Test at KHPN

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Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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New developments and products in avionics, specifically about aircraft electronics in the cockpit.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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