Hanneke Weitering is a writer and editor with AIN covering advanced air mobility and new flight technologies. She became an aviation journalist and joined the AIN team in the summer of 2022 after reporting on spaceflight and astronomy for six years at Space.com. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in science, health, and environmental reporting at New York University&#039;s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. After spending several years in the Pacific Northwest, she has returned to the Knoxville area.

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Read the latest news about Beta Technologies.

UrbanLink Air Mobility plans to operate Beta Technologies’ electric airplane and eVTOL aircraft in South Florida. The Miami-based start-up carrier has reached an initial agreement with an undisclosed asset finance company to lease up to 10 Beta Alia CX300 electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft from the lessor’s existing order book.
The first delivery of an Alia CX300 aircraft to UrbanLink is slated for 2027. Announcing the order on July 28, the company said it plans to subsequently acquire an unspecified number of Beta’s Alia 250 electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft once it becomes available.
Vermont-based Beta is certifying the eCTOL model first and aims to achieve FAA type certification by the end of this year, with the Alia 250 eVTOL model to follow in 2026.&nbsp;Both the Alia CX300 and the Alia 250 are designed to fit one pilot plus five passengers or up to 1,240 pounds of cargo. The eCTOL model has a maximum demonstrated range of 336 nm, and Beta is targeting a range of 250 nm for the subsequent eVTOL model.
Both Alia models will join UrbanLink’s growing fleet of all-electric, zero-emissions aircraft and maritime vessels. Last year, the company signed purchase agreements for <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-12-06/crisalion-logs-another-pre-sale-deal-integrity-evtol-aircraft">20 Integrity eVTOL aircraft</a> from Spanish start-up Crisalion Mobility and <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-12-02/urbanlink-plans-add-orca-cargo-drones-diverse-fleet">40 Orca hybrid-electric cargo drones</a> from Traverse Aero. UrbanLink has also ordered <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2025-05-14/urbanlink-orders-20-more-viceroy-electric-seagliders-regent">47 Regent Craft all-electric Viceroy seagliders</a>, or wing-in-ground (WIG) craft, which the company plans to use to transport passengers between Florida and Puerto Rico.
In May 2024, the prospective commercial operator also committed to buying six of Lilium's six-passenger <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-05-06/urbanlink-plans-south-florida-evtol-network-lilium-order">LiliumJet eVTOLs</a>. However, the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2025-02-21/lilium-closes-evtol-business-new-investment-falls-through">German company was shut down </a>in February after a group of new investors failed to execute on plans to rescue it from bankruptcy.
According to UrbanLink, several major international airlines have been in discussions with the company to explore the possibility of connecting services between Florida airports, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach. It is also working with some cruise lines to offer transportation between airports and cruise ports.
To further prepare for the introduction of its zero-emissions fleet, UrbanLink partnered with infrastructure developer <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-06-26/ferrovial-teams-evtol-operator-urbanlink-develop-florida">Ferrovial Vertiports</a> in June 2024. Ferrovial will own and operate vertiport facilities that it is building in Florida for UrbanLink to use. UrbanLink plans to operate under a Part 135 certificate with a mix of scheduled and on-demand services. Beyond South Florida, it is also planning eVTOL service networks in Los Angeles and Southern California.
In addition to electric aircraft, Beta Technologies manufactures aircraft chargers. The company has permanent charging installations as well as mobile “charge cubes” at more than 46 sites across 22 states. It has yet to bring any chargers to South Florida, but it has <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-09-19/beta-installs-electric-aircraft-chargers-three-florida">several chargers online</a> in the northern and central parts of the state.

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