Latest news with #ALIACTOL
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Blade Participates in First Electric Passenger Flight in the U.S.
Flight utilized BETA's ALIA CTOL, which departed East Hampton Airport, New York and arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal's participation as a passenger on the all-electric flight underscores the company's commitment to quiet, emission-free air mobility Blade, BETA Technologies, and other Advanced Air Mobility manufacturers continue to collaborate on the integration of Electric Vertical Aircraft ('EVA' or 'eVTOL') in Blade's service model NEW YORK, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blade Air Mobility, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLDE,'Blade', or the 'Company'), participated in the historic first passenger-carrying flight of an electric aircraft in the U.S. BETA Technologies' ALIA conventional take-off and landing ('CTOL') aircraft flew from East Hampton Airport in New York into John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. The flight marked a major milestone in the advancement of all-electric aviation within commercial airspace. Blade CEO Rob Wiesenthal said, "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." Mr. Wiesenthal added, "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." The ALIA CTOL, developed by Vermont-based BETA Technologies, is a battery-powered, fixed-wing aircraft designed for safe, efficient, and sustainable transport of people and cargo. The aircraft has logged thousands of miles across diverse real-world conditions and is the first of its kind to receive a market survey certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), enabling rigorous demonstration operations ahead of full certification. '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 BETA Technologies Founder and CEO Kyle Clark. 'Today's flight is about more than technology; it's about innovation and connecting communities in safer, quieter, and more efficient ways. After years of rigorous safety testing in all types of environments, we're proud to stand 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.' Blade's asset-light model, coupled with its proprietary terminal infrastructure, is uniquely positioned to accelerate the commercial transition to quiet, emission-free aircraft. The successful demonstration flight affirms both the near-term feasibility of electric aviation in metropolitan environments and Blade's leadership in shaping the future of sustainable air mobility. About Blade Air Mobility Blade Air Mobility provides air transportation and logistics for hospitals across the United States, where it is one of the largest transporters of human organs for transplant, and for passengers, with helicopter and fixed wing services primarily in the Northeast United States, and Southern Europe. Based in New York City, Blade's asset-light model, coupled with its exclusive passenger terminal infrastructure and proprietary technologies, is designed to facilitate a seamless transition from helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to Electric Vertical Aircraft ('EVA' or 'eVTOL'), enabling lower cost air mobility that is both quiet and emission-free. For more information, visit About BETA Technologies BETA Technologies is a Vermont-based aerospace company manufacturing the future of aviation. The company is producing next-generation aircraft — the fixed wing electric 'ALIA CTOL' and the electric vertical takeoff and landing "ALIA VTOL" — as well as the technologies that enable them, such as electric propulsion systems, flight controls, and battery packs. In addition, BETA is deploying an infrastructure network across the U.S. to ensure this new class of aircraft has access to reliable charging. These products are being manufactured at BETA's nearly 200,000 square foot production facility in South Burlington. With its low-cost, high reliability, and regional range capabilities, BETA's products are designed to move goods and people to increase connectivity for rural areas and improve access to healthcare and e-commerce across the U.S. — and beyond. For more information, visit Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the 'safe harbor' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and may be identified by the use of words such as "will", 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'could,' 'continue,' 'expect,' 'estimate,' 'may,' 'plan,' 'outlook,' 'future' and 'project' and other similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. These statements, which involve risks and uncertainties, relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results and estimates of amounts not yet determinable and may also relate to Blade's future prospects, developments and business strategies. In particular, such forward-looking statements include statements concerning Blade's future financial and operating performance, results of operations, business and capital deployment strategies and plans, customer behavior, competitive position, industry environment and growth opportunities, and the development and adoption of EVA technology. These statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside Blade's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements include: our continued incurrence of significant losses; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its related effects, failure of the markets for our offerings to grow as expected, or at all; our ability to effectively market and sell air transportation as a substitute for conventional methods of transportation; the inability or unavailability to use or take advantage of the shift, or lack thereof, to EVA technology; our ability to successfully enter new markets and launch new routes and services; any adverse publicity stemming from accidents involving small aircraft, helicopters or charter flights and, in particular, any accidents involving our third-party operators; the effects of competition; harm to our reputation and brand; our ability to provide high-quality customer support; our ability to maintain a high daily aircraft usage rate; changes in consumer preferences, discretionary spending and other economic conditions; impact of natural disasters, outbreaks and pandemics, economic, social, weather, growth constraints, and regulatory conditions or other circumstances on metropolitan areas and airports where we have geographic concentration; the effects of climate change, including potential increased impacts of severe weather and regulatory activity; the availability of aircraft fuel; our ability to address system failures, defects, errors, or vulnerabilities in our website, applications, backend systems or other technology systems or those of third-party technology providers; interruptions or security breaches of our information technology systems; our placements within mobile applications; our ability to protect our intellectual property rights; our use of open source software; our ability to expand and maintain our infrastructure network; our ability to access additional funding; the increase of costs and risks associated with international expansion; our ability to identify, complete and successfully integrate future acquisitions; our ability to manage our growth; increases in insurance costs or reductions in insurance coverage; the loss of key members of our management team; our ability to maintain our company culture; our reliance on contractual relationships with certain transplant centers and Organ Procurement Organizations; effects of fluctuating financial results; our reliance on third-party operators; the availability of third-party operators; disruptions to third party operators; increases in insurance costs or reductions in insurance coverage for our third-party aircraft operators; the possibility that our third-party aircraft operators may illegally, improperly or otherwise inappropriately operate our branded aircraft; our reliance on third-party web service providers; changes in our regulatory environment; regulatory obstacles in local governments; the expansion of domestic and foreign privacy and security laws; the expansion of environmental regulations; our ability to remediate any material weaknesses or maintain internal controls over financial reporting; our ability to maintain effective internal controls and disclosure controls; changes in the fair value of our warrants; and other factors beyond our control. Additional factors can be found in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, each as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect us. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, and Blade undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, changes in expectations, future events or otherwise. We are unable to reconciled forward-looking non-GAAP guidance, including Flight Profit Margin, Adjusted Corporate Expenses, and Adjusted EBITDA, without unreasonable effort due to the variability and low visibility with respect to certain costs, the most significant of which are incentive compensation, transaction-related expenses, and certain value measurements, which may have unpredictable, and potentially significant, impact on future GAAP financial results. ContactsMedia RelationsLee GoldPress@ Investor RelationsMat SchneiderInvestors@
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sinclair Community College bought an electric aircraft and flight simulator for more than $2.5M
May 16—Stepping further into the next generation of flight technology, Sinclair Community College said Thursday it bought an electric aircraft and flight simulator, with an eye on training for students and clients. Sinclair said it has purchased one of BETA Technologies' electric aircraft, the ALIA CTOL (Conventional Takeoff and Landing Aircraft), as well as a flight simulator, to be housed at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport. The college said the simulator was delivered last month, with the aircraft expected early next year. The package — plane and simulator — cost the school more than $2.5 million, officials said, saying Sinclair used $2 million from the National Institute of Standards and Technology and $500,000 of state capital funds, supplemented by Sinclair's funds. Training focused on ground school and pilot orientations could begin as soon as this summer, the college said. However, students won't be flying the aircraft any time soon. Andrew Shepherd, Sinclair's chief research officer, said the early use of the craft and the simulator will be for non-credit training and "familiarization" sessions, letting clients and students get comfortable with this new technology. He envisions single-day ground schools leading to deeper orientations with the aircraft and, in time, flight. "We're going to be building out (educational) content as this goes along," Shepherd said in an interview. The BETA craft does not yet have Federal Aviation Administration certification. Students can't build hours toward a flight rating in an experimental aircraft, Shepherd cautioned. "What we purchased is an experimental aircraft," he said. In time, the college will explore will how both the plane and the simulator, which is housed in a semi-trailer, can be integrated into aviation-focused courses. Sinclair says it is the first academic institution to acquire a BETA product. This is not a new area for Sinclair. For years, the school has established partnerships and worked to create training in the realm of advanced air mobility aircraft, in Dayton and Springfield. The craft and flight simulator will become part of Sinclair's National UAS Training and Certification Center curriculum, with input from BETA Technologies, which has its own training program for customers. Both the aircraft and simulator will be housed at the Springfield airport, home to the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence. "The recent purchase of a BETA flight simulator and BETA aircraft by Sinclair Community College is another great step toward advancing Dayton's role as the future of flight," U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, said in a statement from Sinclair. "These systems will enable more students to gain critical training and education in advanced air mobility programs, which is essential for integration into the national airspace system." "We are thrilled to establish this novel partnership to advance the interests of industry, government, and academia," said Jeffrey Miller, Sinclair's senior vice president of workforce development and consulting. The ALIA aircraft is said to be capable of transporting up to five passengers or 1,240 pounds of cargo. There is also a vertical takeoff-and-landing variant, the ALIA VTOL. In November 2024, BETA rolled the first production-intent aircraft off its assembly line in Vermont. "For more than a century, Sinclair has been educating and equipping future leaders," said Shawn Hall, BETA Technologies' chief revenue officer. "With the unique vision and motivation to acquire our AAM (advanced air mobility) technologies and expand its aerospace program into this next era, it's clear why they've been so successful. By layering our electric aviation technologies on top of Sinclair's long-standing excellence in aviation education, we're not just familiarizing pilots and technicians with this new technology, we're cultivating a new workforce for the future."
