Beta Alia

History of Beta Alia

The future of flight is all about electric propulsion as more and more startups emerge, offering new and stunning designs for a growing market. South Burlington, Vermont-based Beta Technologies developed its "Alia" as an EVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) solution with an array of quadcopters for vertical hover and propulsion propellers for horizontal flight.

The plane has a single seat inside which can be arranged to accommodate cargo or up to five passengers.

The aircraft has a unique design with a rounded, streamlined fuselage below the main tail line. The main aircraft is located above the forward midship of the fuselage and has a sleek design with a swept tip.

Outriggers run across the main plane, with a pair of rotors mounted to the front and another to the rear of the wing. The outriggers are attached to the horizontal plane of the stern.

The empennage is swept back and attached at its extreme end to the underside of the fuselage side while straddling the propulsion propeller assembly.

The aircraft was mounted on a four-point slide assembly, although tests also saw a wheeled landing gear. The pilot sits in the front left cockpit with oversized windows up front and car-style doors on the sides of the fuselage for easy access to the cabin space.

Since the main aircraft adopts the vertical lift rotor to be installed at a high place, it will not cause danger to the ground personnel.

The Alia-250c model has been in development for three years (as of May 2021) to produce the most cost-effective, electrically efficient aircraft capable of switching from vertical hover to horizontal draft in a single flight maneuver. A ground-dynamic subscale design has been completed to demonstrate the sound of a life-size model.

Currently, the aircraft has a distributed direct-drive electric propulsion system that powers 4 two-bladed lift rotors and a single three-bladed tail/propulsion propeller. Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 6,000 lbs. Dimensions include a 50-foot wingspan.

The range is 250 nautical miles and the total charging time for the on-board battery is 50 minutes.

Electric propulsion systems rely on air-cooled and environmentally sealed battery packs, which are at the heart of electric propulsion units. The vertical lift motor is also air-cooled for high torque and overall operating efficiency. The thrust strut relies on two inverters to convert energy for the motor.

A triple redundant system is built into the unit for maximum safety.

Specification

Basics

Year of Service

2024

Origins

United States

Status

Under development

Program is running.

Crew

1

Production

1

Manufacturer

Beta Technologies - USA

Carrier

US (test)

Roles

X-Plane (development, prototype, tech demo)

Aircraft designed for prototyping, technology demonstration, or research/data collection.

Notable Features

Vertical Takeoff/Landing (VTOL)

The

series has the tactical capability of vertical take-off and/or landing, a characteristic usually associated with helicopters.

Multi-engine

Include two or more engines to improve survivability and/or performance.

Sturdy aircraft frame

The inherent ability of the airframe to take significant damage.

Extended range performance

Ability to travel long distances using on-board fuel supplies.

Closed crew room

There are partially or fully enclosed crew work areas.

Dimensions and Weights

Width/Span

50. 0 feet

(15.25m)

MTOW

6,008 lbs

(2,725 kg)

Performance

Installed:

Distributed direct drive battery powered system drives 4 rotors for vertical lift/hover, in a quadcopter arrangement on the main aircraft jib, and drives 1 in the rear fuselage in a "propeller" arrangement Three-blade propeller units are used for level flight.

Range

288 mi

(463 km | 857 nm)

ARMAMENT

None.

VARIANTS

Alia - Base Series Name. Alia 250Alia-250c