The FAA has issued a special airworthiness certificate to Beta Technologies allowing the company to operate its Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft for passenger-carrying “market survey” flights. The Vermont-based company announced what it described as a “first-of-its-kind” approval on Wednesday, saying it is now cleared to conduct flight operations with prospective customers.
Beta conducted the first flight under the newly-issued certificate on Tuesday. The A250 took offer vertically from Plattsburgh International Airport (KPBG) in New York before transitioning to wing-borne flight and then landing vertically at Patrick Leahy International Airport (KBVT) in Vermont in a 34 nm sector that lasted 20 minutes.
The company already has the same approval for its fixed-wing Alia CX300 electric aircraft. Both types now having logged more than 250,000 nm in extensive flight tests and demonstrations in the U.S. and other locations.
The Alia has dual pilot controls and can carry up to five passengers or more than 1,200 pounds of cargo. Beta is pitching the aircraft for a variety of missions including logistics, offshore industry support, medical transportation, air taxi services and military operations, with customers including helicopter group Bristow.
The FAA issued the special airworthiness certificate under its Part 21 rules. This gives Beta more flexibility to fly with different operators and stakeholders in more places as it explores paths to market adoption for the new aircraft.
“This authorization brings vertical flight closer to the people and places that will put it to work, building on Beta’s track record of industry firsts,” Beta founder and CEO Kyle Clark commented. “We completed the first electric VTOL transition flight in 2024, we were the first to receive market survey authorization for our conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, and now we’re the first with our VTOL. Operators can now experience the VTOL firsthand and begin planning how it fits into their businesses, from connecting communities to moving people and goods at low cost.”
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