The Bristow group has announced that it has placed a firm order with electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer BETA Technologies for five ALIA-250 aircraft. The order includes options for fifty additional ALIA eVTOLs. According to BETA, the ALIA-250 will carry five passengers and a pilot, have a payload of 635kg, a range of 250nm and will recharge its battery in less than an hour.
“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”, said BETA founder and CEO Kyle Clark.
Bristow Helicopters has recently signed similar purchase agreements with Lilium and Overair, two other companies which are also developing eVTOL aircraft. The company operates a fleet of more than two hundred aircraft globally, including in the Americas, Africa, Europe and Australia.
Image: Bristow
