Beta Technologies' Alia 250 eVTOL Hits 130 mph in Test Formation Flight Over Burlington

The Alia 250 electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft flew over Burlington Airport in formation with the Alia CX300 last week and reached speeds over 130 mph. Business Insider reporter Taylor Rains observed the flight and noted that the Alia 250 was noticeably quieter than a helicopter.

The Alia 250 takes off and lands vertically using four top-mounted rotors and transitions to forward flight with an aft propeller.

Its rotors are fixed, unlike designs from Joby and Archer that use tilting rotors. Beta Technologies built the aircraft with five battery packs that give it a range of roughly 290 miles, and the company said it fully recharges in less than an hour using giant charging cubes.

Beta Technologies president and CEO Kyle Clark said the company has built everything in-house, including the engine, batteries, and propellers.

The Alia 250 cabin, airframe, avionics, and powerplant mirror those of the Alia CX300, which is a conventional takeoff and landing aircraft expected to be certified by late 2027. Beta is using a stepwise certification approach based on the CX300 and is participating in a Transportation Department program to fast-track eVTOLs.

The Alia 250 can carry one pilot and up to five passengers or up to 200 cubic feet of cargo.

A 30-minute demonstration flight would have cost about $14 in electricity, according to the reporter's calculation. Beta Technologies has accumulated hundreds of test flight hours on the Alia 250. Reuters reported that the company has 890 firm orders for its aircraft, of which a majority are for the Alia 250.