"Electric Alia" Begins Flight Testing at Eglin AFB
Channel: Defense Now
Date: 2023-11-15

"Breaking News: BETA Technologies Alia Takes Flight - Test Flight at Eglin Air Force Base!"

The BETA Technologies Alia aircraft began its first official test flight on November 7, 2023 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. 

The flight's objectives were to: 
Examine battery usage over certain distances with specific power configurations
Examine the ground logistics of executing back-to-back flights with an electric aircraft
Help write procedures and safety requirements for the Air Force

The aircraft traveled to Tyndall AFB and back, recharging and then flying again. 

The U.S. Air Force is testing the ALIA electric aircraft for its potential to revolutionize agile combat employment logistics. The Air Force is looking for ways to reduce its carbon footprint. 

The ALIA-250 has: 
Five propellers
Five electric motors
A charging time of one hour
In July of 2021, the company completed a flight of 205 miles using only three of the Alia's five battery packs. It is developing equipment to fully recharge the aircraft in around 50 minutes. 

"Electric Alia", begins flight testing at "EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE"

"The BETA Technologies "Alia aircraft lifted off", for its first official test flight here, Nov. 7, 2023."

"The goal of this first test was to examine battery usage over certain distances with specific power configurations, as well as the ground logistics of executing back-to-back flights with an electric aircraft."

"The mission of the day was for "Alia pilots to fly 68 nautical miles to Tyndall AFB, " land and return."

 " Upon returning to Duke Field, North of Eglin, "the aircraft then recharged via the Defense Department’s first and only aircraft charging station." " Alia took approximately an hour to fully recharge." 

 "The aircraft received a maintenance check and then a new BETA aircrew flew a second mission." 

"This process is similar to the military flight operation, hot-pitting, where an aircraft flies a mission, lands for refueling and then flies again."
 " Only with Alia, the fuel is electricity."

"This was also the aircraft’s first solo mission, here as well."  "Alia flew a local-area, Eglin range familiarization flight, Nov. 3," "but was accompanied by a chase aircraft."

“Today’s mission was an excellent first step to exploring what this aircraft type can offer the Air Force and the military,” "said 2nd Lt. Maria Reynoso, 413th Flight Test Squadron Agility Prime lead test engineer."


Defense Now - November 2023
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLe95fdmDwNk8PU38ELzBfAG4CDQi33Ou7&si=XLLYajEOOibFZI3T

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Film Credits: Video by Jennifer Bryant 
Air Force Research Laboratory

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