FutureFlight
Beta’s Electric Aircraft and Charging Station Coming to Eglin Air Force Base
Beta Technologies will install a charging station for electric aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, where the company's Alia aircraft will be used for "on-base experimentation."
Beta's Alia electric airplane is pictured at an airport charging station
Beta Technologies will install an electric aircraft charging station at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. (Photo: Beta Technologies)

Beta Technologies, a Vermont-based company developing electric aircraft along with a network of charging stations, is expanding its partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense to install an aircraft charger at Eglin Air Force Base in western Florida. Later this year, Beta will send its Alia aircraft to Eglin, where the Air Force will use it for “on-base experimentation” as part of its ongoing efforts to explore defense applications for electric aircraft such as Beta’s Alia. 

According to Beta, the Level 3 DC fast charger it’s bringing to Eglin will be the first-ever aircraft charging station to be installed on a U.S. Air Force Base. Beta already has its aircraft chargers online at 13 locations across the eastern U.S., and development work is underway to install them at another 55 locations along the East and Gulf Coasts.