FutureFlight
Electric R44 Completes First Airport-to-airport Flight
An electric-powered R44 helicopter modified by Tier 1 Engineering and Lung Biotechnology showed a new way to transport transplantable organs.
An R44 helicopter powered entirely by an electric propulsion system flies over Coachella on the way to Palm Springs International Airport.
An R44 helicopter powered entirely by an electric propulsion system flies over Coachella on the way to Palm Springs International Airport. (Photo: Tier 1 Engineering)

In a historic first, a fully electric-powered Robinson R44 helicopter flew from one airport to another. The 21-nm flight took place on Saturday at 11 a.m. local time from Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal, California, to Palm Springs International Airport. The electric R44 flight was flown by OC Helicopters CEO Ric Webb and Martine Rothblatt, CEO of Lung Biotechnology parent company United Therapeutics.

Tier 1 Engineering and Lung Biotechnology are collaborating on the electric R44 project. The plan is to use electric-powered helicopters and eVTOLs for delivery of transplantable organs on short-distance flights from airports to hospitals after the organs are delivered by electric and sustainable-fuel-powered fixed-wing aircraft to airports near hospitals.