Beta Technologies ALIA-250
The ALIA-250 is a lift-plus-cruise eVTOL being developed by BETA Technologies, Inc. Full scale flight testing of the aircraft has been ongoing, with hundreds of miles of range having been achieved. Entry into service has been adjusted to 2026 with certification being sought from the FAA under part 21.17b.
Structure and Powertrain
The ALIA-250 seats five passengers and a pilot inside the composite fuselage. A cargo version will also be available that will seat a pilot and have 200 cubic feet of available cargo space. The aircraft features a V-shaped tail and a high wing, with two booms stretching between the wing and tail. The landing gear is shaped similarly to skid landing gear but has four wheels fixed to it for mobility. Lift is provided by four lift fans that are attached to the two booms and propulsion comes from a fixed pusher propeller at the rear of the aircraft. All are independently powered by electric motors, fed by batteries located beneath the cabin.
Distributed electric propulsion (DEP) is the name given to this method of powering aircraft. No critical points of failure provide a high level of redundancy and will ensure safety onboard. Further safety is ensured in the design by having the lift fans positioned above the fuselage and away from passengers.
Specifications
| Aircraft Type | Lift-plus-cruise winged eVTOL |
| Seats | Pilot + 5 (cargo version pilot + 200 ft^3) |
| MTOW | 3,175kg/6,999 lbs. |
| Payload | 1,500 lbs. |
| Wingspan | 15.2m/50 ft. |
| Landing Gear | Skid landing gear/fixed four wheeled. |
| Cruising Speed | 161+kph/100+ mph |
| Range | 463km/288 miles |
| Flight Controls | Fly-by-wire |
| Takeoff & Landing | VTOL |
| Autonomy | Planned for future. |
Avionics
The ALIA-250 features a fly-by-wire flight control system with autonomy planned for the future.