New York's first electric air taxi flight is performed by Blade and BETA

While it may take a little while for certification for passenger flight operations to be achieved, the Big Apple has seen its first flight of an electrical air taxi. As part of their testing program at the Westchester County Airport in White Plains, New York, about an hour north of New York City, Blade Air Mobility and BETA Technologies conducted a vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle test flight on Tuesday this past week.

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Beta's piloted ALIA-250 took off and flew over the airport alongside a conventional helicopter for the first time. A few minutes after this first accompanied test run, it then performed another one on its own. It represents a significant milestone in what has been a relatively rapid development of all-electric aircraft in the past few years. BETA technologies, based in Vermont, was founded in 2017 and is set to reveal the ALIA in June 2020.

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Two years ago, the company partnered with Blade. The blade company has agreed to buy 20 passenger ALIA-250 eVTOLs from BETA in April 2021 and plans to use the aircraft to replace its current helicopter premium ride-sharing offerings between Manhattan and New York JFK with this quiet and eco-friendly mode of transportation.

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Rob Wiesenthal, CEO of Blade, said,

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“This demonstration is a big milestone in our transition from helicopters to electric vertical aircraft, and we are pleased that our partners at Beta have designed the right aircraft with the requisite range, capacity, and noise profile, for use in our key markets, including our home base of New York City. We are confident EVAs will be a game-changer both for our company and New York City’s transportation system once certified by the FAA.”

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Following the announcement of the successful test flight, Blade's publicly traded stock price rose 13% after the company's stock price was up 13% following the announcement that the test flight had been successful.

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A passenger-configured version of the ALIA-250 will be available, with room for five passengers and one pilot. With a range of 250 NM (463 kilometers) and a charging time of 50 minutes, it is intended to have a range of 250 NM (463 kilometers). The aircraft will also be produced as the ALIA-250C, with a capacity of 200 cubic feet, modified to operate as a cargo aircraft.

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Noise-free alternative to helicopters

In light of the fact that the ALIA (and other electric urban air taxis) produces only one-tenth the noise of a conventional helicopter thanks to its fully electric propulsion system, New Yorkers will likely see the ALIA (and other electric urban air taxis) as a boon since they are becoming increasingly tired of the noise and air pollution, Trade Algo reported. The East Hampton Airport was shut down by a New York judge in October last year, preventing premium helicopter service providers, including Blade, from being able to operate in the region due to an attempt by residents to close the airport to commercial traffic.

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Aerodynamics inspired by nature

The design of the ALIA was inspired by the Arctic Tern, which is a bird found in the Arctic. Kyle Clark, the company's founder, said in an interview with WIRED from the time of the vehicle's launch that the tern's tail configuration and wing stance "proved to be a great baseline to build from" in order to facilitate ultra-efficient long-range flight.

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