The ALIA composite manned electric aircraft from BETA Technologies has been approved by the U.S. Air Force to fly in its Agility Prime program. AFWERX Agility Prime is a non-traditional program bringing together industry, investors, and government to establish safety and security standards while accelerating commercialization of advanced air mobility vehicles.
“Electric aviation is a National Security priority and fortunately this was recognized early by the Air Force,” said Kyle Clark, BETA’s founder and CEO. “The speed and efficiency of the Air Force Agility Prime program to support sustainable electric aviation has been remarkable. The people and expertise that the Air Force has brought to the electric aviation industry and specifically our ALIA program is accelerating the development of incredibly capable, safe and reliable aircraft.”
The ALIA design includes fixed efficient vertical propellers reducing the cost of manufacturing as well as reducing maintenance needs and increasing safety. The long wing and the V-tail reduce drag and increase the stability of the aircraft at low speeds.
