BETA Technologies, a US-based aerospace company manufacturing electric aircraft and infrastructure, has announced that SLI, one of Libra Group’s aerospace subsidiaries, has placed a firm purchase order for 25 ALIA CTOL (electric conventional take-off and landing) aircraft.
This order represents a broadening of SLI’s portfolio beyond space to include advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft and extends the long-standing relationship between BETA and Libra Group through its subsidiaries.
SLI was launched by Libra Group in 2023 as the world’s first dedicated space leasing company, providing financing solutions for a wide spectrum of space assets.
The company will now additionally lease the new ALIA CTOL (CX300) aircraft to operators in the intra-city and regional aviation sectors. The CX300 is a fixed-wing variant of BETA’s ALIA VTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft that operates between airports.
BETA’s ALIA aircraft are capable of transporting up to 1,240 pounds of cargo, or five passengers plus a pilot. In cargo configurations, the aircraft can carry hand-sorted, specialty, or containerised cargo plus a pilot, and feature a low load floor and wide-opening side door.
In addition to regular passenger and cargo transportation, ALIA will serve SLI’s anticipated critical-need mission set, which encompasses priority cargo and medical passenger transport, with more energy and cost-efficiency than conventional aircraft.
This announcement follows BETA’s ongoing real-world flight demonstrations across the US and Europe, including daily flights at this year’s Paris Air Show.