Beta’s CTOL in Ireland ahead of EU tour and first delivery to Bristow

Deep Dive

by Yves Le Marquand

23 May 2025

Beta Technologies’ CTOL aircraft is at Shannon Airport in southwest Ireland today on the first stop of a debut European tour.

Hosted with the support of Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI), the demonstration is the first of a series of stops planned across the continent ahead of delivering the aircraft to Bristow in Norway. Once in Scandinavia, Beta’s aircraft — tail no: N214BT — will take part in a regulatory sandbox exercise in partnership with the CAA and Avinor.

“This is more than just an arrival, it’s a springboard to bring the future of aviation to Europe,” said Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta Technologies. “AAM, and our aircraft specifically, is practically purpose-built for the distributed geography and weather conditions of Ireland and the rest of Europe. With its spirit of innovation and growing leadership in future transportation solutions, we see Ireland as a strategic partner and gateway to the broader European aviation market.”

Irish government officials, aviation regulators and other industry stakeholders were in attendance at Shannon Airport. Beta is confident its aircraft can make a significant impact on the Irish transport ecosystem which sees 89m travellers annually. The Vermont-based company’s CTOL aircraft is capable of transporting up to five passengers or 1,250lbs (566kg) of cargo.

Russell Vickers, CEO of FMCI, said: “FMCI serves not just as a launchpad for Irish innovation, but as a landing pad for global pioneers. When companies like Beta come to Ireland, they help accelerate innovation at home, bringing new skills, technologies, and opportunities to our aviation ecosystem. These flights demonstrate real-world innovation, with Ireland acting as a proving ground for what comes next.”

Declan Fitzpatrick, chief executive of the Irish Aviation Authority, added: “Beta and the Alia CTOL aircraft represent the spirit of innovation and fast-paced product development happening in aviation. This challenges regulators to keep up, but I am happy to state Europe and specifically Ireland has the necessary safety regulations and certification framework and skills in place to test and bring hybrid and electric aircraft to the market.”

Beta is also rolling out a network of in-house developed charging infrastructure. FMCI is set to install several BETA Charge Cubes to enable AAM operations onsite. This installation is expected to take place in 2026.

In addition to its Alia CTOL and infrastructure, BETA is also manufacturing and certifying a VTOL variant, as well as developing pilot and maintainer training programmes. The company has orders from customers including UPS, Air New Zealand, United Therapeutics, Bristow, Blade, LCI and the US Department of Defense.