All-electric aircraft makes historic landing at JFK Airport
History was made Tuesday at John F. Kennedy International Airport as an all-electric aircraft made a successful runway landing for the first time.
The aircraft made a 45-minute journey from Suffolk County to Queens in a first-of-its-kind passenger-carrying demonstration flight.
"So quiet, so efficient, so green"
Beta Technologies, a Vermont-based start-up, is now the first United States company to land an all-electric aircraft at an airport in the New York-New Jersey region.
The company's founder and CEO, Kyle Clark, piloted the Alia CX300 himself, landing successfully – and quietly. He says the historic flight showcases the future of urban air mobility amid a longstanding push for electric aviation.
"That flight we just took from East Hampton to here was like $8 in electricity," he said.
Clark says the company's all-electric aircraft have undergone years of rigorous safety testing.
"It's super meaningful to bring an aircraft of new technology through six years of development and testing to the point that we can actually put passengers in it," Clark said.
Joining him on Tuesday's flight were four passengers, including Andrew Kimball, CEO of NYC Economic Development Corporation.
"So quiet, so efficient, so green. Really will transform the industry," Kimball said.
"It was terrific. It was quiet," another passenger said.
Beta Technologies aims to fly commercial passengers by 2026
Clark says the goal for such electric aircraft is to ease congestion, reduce emissions and increase accessibility for all. He hopes to be flying commercial passengers by 2026, although at this time, it's unclear exactly how much a commercial flight would cost.
"Next year, we will achieve [Federal Aviation Administration] certification, we expect. It's gonna be a lot of hard work, more testing, so 18, 20 months from now, you can probably be flying one of these airplanes around New York," Clark said.
"The airports have a big job to do in terms of establishing charging stations, developing areas where they can safely land and take off," said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Rick Cotton.
In October 2024, the FAA finalized comprehensive training and pilot certification rules for flying such electric aircraft, calling it "the final piece in the puzzle for safely introducing these aircraft in the near term."
