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In a quiet flight toward the future, four passengers boarded a fully electric aircraft in East Hampton Tuesday morning and touched down at JFK just 45 minutes later — marking the first-ever flight of a noiseless, battery-powered plane in one of the world’s busiest airspaces.
The flight of the ALIA CTOL spanned 72 miles, but only cost $8 in electricity, which is about $152 less than what a typical helicopter flight of that distance would cost.
The milestone follows six years of testing and development by aerospace company BETA Technologies.
“Flying our electric aircraft into one of the world’s busiest airports, with passengers, proves advanced air mobility is not some future concept; it’s here,” said Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of BETA Technologies. “Today’s flight is about more than technology; it’s about innovation and connecting communities in safer, quieter and more efficient ways.
The successful flight was also chronicled by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages JFK.
“After years of rigorous safety testing in all types of environments, we’re proud to stand here with the Port Authority and the City of New York to demonstrate exactly how this aircraft can serve cities by easing congestion, reducing emissions and increasing accessibility,” Clark said.
The BETA Technologies aircraft is a new generation aircraft called advanced air mobility, which is often electric and capable of vertical or short takeoff and landing. AAM technology is designed to move people and goods more efficiently within and between urban areas.
With its lower cost of operation when compared to traditional aircraft, a Port Authority press release stated AAM technology has the potential to reduce noise pollution, ease congestion, improve air quality and connect communities.
Earlier this year, BETA conducted a coast-to-coast journey, flying its ALIA CTOL production model more than 8,000 nautical miles from Plattsburgh, N.Y., to Los Angeles and back, according to the Port Authority. The company has recently launched a similar flight campaign throughout Europe, with plans to begin delivering aircraft to customers later this year.
BETA Technologies also conducted a demonstration flight with BETA customer Blade Air Mobility in 2023 out of Westchester County Airport.
“This electric aircraft flight from Long Island to New York City highlights that quiet and emission-free flight is quickly becoming a reality benefiting Blade’s fliers, local residents, and other key stakeholders,” said Rob Wiesenthal, founder and CEO of Blade Air Mobility, which, on Long Island, ferries passengers to and from the Hamptons via helicopter and seaplane. “I can think of no better way to demonstrate our company’s commitment to quiet, electric aircraft commercialization than my participation on this flight as a passenger myself.”
According to a Port Authority press release, the groundbreaking flight came as the result of a request for innovation issued by the agency in December 2023, seeking proposals from companies to demonstrate next-generation aircraft at a Port Authority-operated airport.
“This milestone flight is directly aligned with the Port Authority’s aggressive agenda to build a more sustainable future and to support the development and rollout of new technology,” said Rick Cotton, the Port Authority’s executive director. “We’ve pledged to reach net-zero emissions across all agency operations by 2050, and advancing clean, electric-powered aircraft is a key part of that strategy.”
The aircraft was named after United Therapeutics’ CEO Martine Rothblatt’s daughter, who had fought lung disease. It was initially developed to carry out organ transport missions. BETA has been undergoing safety testing and demonstrations of its ALIA CTOL aircraft in real-world environments over the past several years.
This is currently the first and only AAM aircraft to receive a market survey certificate from the FAA. This certification allows the company to carry out demonstration flights under strict safety protocols ahead of full FAA approval.
The aircraft has already logged thousands of miles across the U.S. The Port Authority announcement stated that each phase of the aircraft’s development has been closely aligned with federal regulations to ensure both passenger safety and the security of the national airspace.
