Bristow signs firm order for five BETA Alia-250s

Bristow Group has placed a firm order for five BETA Technologies Alia-250 aircraft, with the option to purchase an additional 50. The order firmly positions Bristow as an early adopter and leader in developing AAM operations said Bristow executive vice president and chief transformation officer, Dave Stepanek.

“By leveraging our 70-plus years of expertise as a leader in vertical lift, we plan to use the BETA Alia to safely and reliably move passengers and time-sensitive cargo as part of the development of new regional mobility networks in the U.S. and other strategic locations,” said Stepanek

The Alia will have a maximum range of 250nm and is designed to carry a 1,400lbs payload, equivalent to six people including a pilot. With a 50-foot wingspan and a carbon-fibre fuselage, the aircraft uses a single distributed direct-electric propulsion system and has four horizontally mounted rotors and a single propeller in the rear.

Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of BETA said: “We designed Alia with reliability, efficiency, and the highest-value cargo in mind, all of which are central to the types of critical missions Bristow carries out on a global stage. Over the past few months, we’ve made strides with our flight test programme, proving the aircraft is capable of performing in conditions it will see in service. We are gratified by Bristow’s confidence in our continued progress, and we look forward to partnering to provide a safe and sustainable system to transform regional transportation.”

The battery will be charged in under an hour using BETA’s own charging infrastructure, which can be deployed as a standalone fixture to enable airport operations or integrated into a charging pad for off-airport applications.