South Burlington, VT – BETA Technologies, an electric aerospace company, has opened the doors to a large-scale production facility at the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport in Vermont, where it will manufacture and assemble its all-electric aircraft. Production has begun with the installation of assembly tooling and the initiation of various system production lines, marking a significant milestone along BETA’s path to delivering its all-electric aircraft, the ALIA CTOL and the ALIA VTOL, to military and commercial customers.
The 188,500sf production facility will ultimately be capable of producing up to 300 aircraft per year and it is expected to create hundreds of jobs. BETA is planning for a steady ramp up to maximum production rates and delivery to its diverse base of customers across cargo, medical, defense, and passenger industries. The facility is located on a 40-acre site, with potential to support a significant expansion, doubling in size via a Phase II build-out.
BETA Technologies’ electric aircraft production facility
“The team here at BETA is excited to enter the next phase of our growing electric aerospace business. We have worked through research, engineering, prototyping, test flying, initial phases of certification and now we are entering our next important step of starting production, in an inspiring facility,” said Kyle Clark, CEO and founder of BETA. “The internal BETA team along with many awesome local contractors, tradespeople and civil servants have challenged each other to create a beautiful, sustainable and functional building for producing the future of aviation. We are incredibly thankful to this community.”
BETA opens the doors to its scaled production facility following a methodical series of steps to ensure production readiness. The company has been refining pilot production line efficiency and flow for its internally developed technologies and systems, including battery packs, electric motors, and inverters. The company has also developed and is exercising its quality management systems and manufacturing process procedures and standards, and is working closely with the FAA to certify them.
Battery line
BETA’s production facility is a first-of-its-kind building designed intentionally to be sustainable, an embodiment of BETA’s mission to decarbonize the aviation sector and help turn the corner on climate change. Three pillars inform the construction design strategy: sustainability, efficiency, and people-first.
The new facility is equipped with 260 geothermal wells to provide energy for temperature control within the building, and nearly three acres of roof-mounted solar panels, contributing to a net-zero campus. The structural sub-base supports concrete foundations and is made by a glass aggregate of 99% recycled glass and 1% binder, replacing nearly 100,000 cubic feet of styrofoam insulation.
The assembly line floor is optimized to move aircraft along the line in a safe, climate-controlled, and logical manner, and it’s designed with the future in mind. The facility’s floor to ceiling windows and a quarter acre skylight enable natural light throughout the facility, and tunable lighting systems offer a more natural working environment at all times of day. Common areas and large windows are strategically placed throughout the building, visually connecting the team to accelerate collaboration and teamwork.
BETA’s ALIA CTOL and VTOL
“BETA’s forward-thinking approach to sustainable aviation has led to new jobs, new community partnerships, and investment in the Burlington area and all of Vermont. It’s also encouraging to see the total transformation of a 40-acre brownfield from an unused stretch of land in need of redevelopment and cleanup, to a green-energy, net-zero, hub of economic and electric aviation activity,” said Senator Welch. “I’m excited to celebrate the official opening of the production facility, and look forward to seeing the new heights BETA will reach because of this new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.”
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“The City of Burlington has been a proud partner to BETA from inception. We are prouder still that a year ago Beta and the city were able to forge a long-term agreement for Burlington’s world class airport to be home to BETA’s company headquarters, manufacturing hub, and flight training facility as BETA writes an exciting new chapter in aviation history,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger.
