Electrification in the 3rd dimension – Nation’s first authorized electric aircraft lands in the Triangle
- October 26, 2023
- Posted by: Joe Milazzo II
- Category: Blog
Electrification in the 3rd dimension – Nation’s first electric aircraft lands in the Triangle
As noted in last week’s RTA weekly member briefing — and following up on our conversation at last year’s RTA breakfast event, which focused on the melding of life science and transportation innovation — RTA staff was able to view America’s first ever electrically-powered aircraft authorized for travel outside its designated testing zone at an event last week.
Blaine Newton, BETA Technologies, COO who highlighted the ALIA aircraft at last year’s RTA Transportation Breakfast event, provided remarks next to the aircraft at the event held on Friday, October 20, at the Raleigh Executive Jetport at Sanford.
Other event speakers included NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins, who highlighted the importance of innovation to the Department, and Mikaël Cardinal with Unither Bioélectronique, affiliated with RTA Gold member United Therapeutics (and also a speaker at last year’s RTA Breakfast), who spoke to the ongoing partnership with BETA.
Attendees also heard from Darshan Divakaran, a representative from the US Air Force’s AFWERX program, who spoke to the importance of investing in electric aviation from a national security and supply chain perspective.
The event also included the groundbreaking of the first electric multimodal aviation charging station at an airport in North Carolina.
The regional business community applauds NCDOT, BETA Technologies, United Therapeutics, the US Air Force AFWERX initiative, and other electric aviation partners for advancing transportation into the future.
Let’s get moving,
Joe
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA Executive Director
