BETA Technologies, Signature Aviation, Republic Airways and its subsidiary Brickyard Connection have completed three days of electric flight demonstrations at Kissimmee Gateway Airport in Florida, following an earlier winter campaign in Burlington, Vermont, and Plattsburgh, New York.
During the Florida demonstrations, pilots flew BETA’s ALIA CX300 aircraft up to nine legs per day, with an average charge session of 105 kWh per flight and US$16.80 in energy consumed per leg. The back-to-back hot- and cold-weather campaigns were designed to validate the aircraft’s readiness for cargo, logistics, passenger and medical missions across different operating environments.
Signature Aviation commissioned a BETA Charge Cube and Thermal Management System at Kissimmee Gateway Airport, enabling ultra-fast charging in hot and humid conditions. BETA now has charging infrastructure installed at six Florida airports: Kissimmee Gateway, Duke Field (Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary), Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview, Gainesville Regional, Tallahassee International and Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport.
Since announcing their collaboration at the Paris Air Show in 2025, BETA and Republic Airways have completed pilot training for three Brickyard pilots, including coursework, simulator sessions and check rides, and conducted 34 high-cadence flights over four days in winter conditions between Burlington and Plattsburgh.
“BETA has flown more than 140,000 nautical miles in ALIA aircraft across the globe,” said Simon Newitt, head of sales and support at BETA. “That operational experience is what positions us to scale deliberately and efficiently in states like Florida, where near-term, short-haul cargo, medical and passenger demand is strongest.”
The demonstrations culminated in an event at Orlando International Airport on May 18, attended by more than 120 industry leaders, state officials and community stakeholders at Signature Aviation’s Arnold Palmer Hangar. Greater Orlando Aviation Authority CEO Lance Lyttle delivered keynote remarks on Florida’s role in the commercialization of electric aviation, including through the FAA and US Department of Transportation’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP).
BETA will work alongside Republic Airways and Metro Aviation in Florida to carry out cargo and medical logistics missions along the state’s short-haul corridors.
