Success. This is how the test of the first electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi in the New York metropolitan area was described.
The test was carried out by Blade Air Mobility and BETA Technologies took place at the Westchester County Airport, in White Plains (New York).
BETA Technologies, a Vermont-based electric aviation and aerospace manufacturer, has partnered with Blade Air Mobility, which provides cost-effective air travel alternatives in some of the world’s most congested areas (US, EU, Canada, and India) to make it happen.
BETA’s air taxi, the ALIA-250 EVA, has been in the works for three years and is influenced by what the arctic tern looks like.
The arctic tern is the bird that travels the furthest, visiting all corners of the planet, which inspired the company to devise a more efficient method of flight.
The ALIA-250 EVA has two versions: one optimized for passengers and the other for cargo. The eVTOL is powered by a direct-drive distributed electric propulsion with a range of 250 NM and a charging time of 50 minutes.