First Electric Passenger Plane Flies 130 Kilometers For Just Rs 700
Beta Technologies' Alia CX300 has become the first all-electric aircraft to successfully complete a flight carrying passengers -- a first in aviation history. The aircraft flew from East Hampton to the John F. Kennedy Airport in the US, earlier this month, with four passengers on board and covered about 70 nautical miles (130 kilometres) in just over 30 minutes, according to a report in Fox News.
The cost for the flight was just Rs 694 ($8) compared to an estimated Rs 13,885 ($160) in fuel costs for a helicopter completing the same trip. Additionally, passengers were able to converse clearly the whole time, owing to the lack of noisy engines and propellers.
"This is a 100% electric airplane that just flew from East Hampton to JFK with passengers on it, which was a first for the New York Port Authority and the New York area. We covered 70 odd nautical miles in 35 minutes," said Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta Technologies.
"Charging this thing up and flying out here cost us about $8 in fuel. Of course, you have to pay for the pilot and the airplane, but, fundamentally, it's way less expensive," he added.
As per the company, the kind of comfort and accessibility provided by CX300 could make electric air travel a hit with commuters and travellers.
FAA approval awaited
Based in Vermont, Beta Technologies was founded in 2017 and recently raised $318 million in funding to speed up production, certification and commercialisation of its electric aircraft.
For the past six years, the company has been working on both the conventional takeoff and landing CX300 model and its Alia 250 eVTOL. It is aiming to receive the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification with the former by the end of the year.
With the Beta planes capable of flying up to 250 nautical miles on a single charge, the company claims it could be ideal for short hops between cities and suburbs.
Notably, Beta Technologies is not the only company looking to revolutionise the flying taxi segment. Last month, the committee charged with planning the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 announced Archer Aviation as the official air taxi provider for the quadrennial event. Spectators at LA 2028 will be able to escape the city's notorious traffic and travel in style.
Though Archer Aviation is yet to be certified by the FAA, the company is hoping to begin its LA network operations by as early as 2026.
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