Avflight, in partnership with electric aerospace company BETA Technologies, has installed electric aircraft charging infrastructure at four of its Michigan-based FBOs, creating “a foundational intrastate charging corridor for aviation’s future,” according to Avflight officials.
Charging stations are already online at Avflight Lansing (KLAN) and Avflight Holland (KBIV), with additional installations coming to Avflight Traverse City (KTVC) and Avflight Willow Run (KYIP).
The installations are part of a $2.6 million investment awarded to BETA Technologies by the state of Michigan to support the deployment of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) infrastructure across key regional airports.
“We’re proud to work alongside BETA Technologies and the state of Michigan to deliver this critical infrastructure,” said Joe Meszaros, Avflight’s vice president of operations. “These charging stations reinforce Avflight’s long-term commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility while making Michigan a leader in the national push for electric aviation.”
To commemorate this achievement, BETA flew its all-electric ALIA aircraft into Avflight Lansing to complete an inaugural charge and demonstrate the capabilities of the newly commissioned airside charger.
These Michigan sites triple a growing network of Avflight FBOs with electric aviation infrastructure, joining Avflight Akron-Canton (KCAK) in Ohio and Avflight Columbus (KGTR) in Mississippi.
The BETA chargers installed at Avflight’s locations are multimodal and interoperable, designed around the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard. This enables the chargers to serve not only electric aircraft, but also electric ground vehicles. They join a growing network of chargers BETA is installing across the U.S. and Canada.
“Michigan has a long track record of innovation when it comes to transportation, and this is yet another example,” said Nate Ward, BETA Technologies’ lead for charging network development. “The installation of these four chargers, and the state’s support to do so, represents a meaningful step toward advancing AAM, and delivering real benefits to Michigan’s communities and economy. We’re grateful to partner with a wonderful, forward-leaning business like Avflight on this path to the future.”
For more information: Avflight.com, BETA.team
The utility of e-aircraft depends on batteries with much higher capacity in Kw-hrs per pound that currently available. The current Li-ion batteries are only useful in small, light aircraft with about 1 hour of flight time… not very useful except for short training flights.
Estimated price between four and 5 million.
I guess you can get about seven or eight 172s for that price brand new.
At least 3 Seneca’s. Buy one Piper Seneca and you’ve got a lot of money left over for gas.
Solves no problems.
A few more baby steps towards the future of aviation! This is such an exciting time for the aerospace industry, similar to the revolutionary times of a century ago. Just as then, not everything will work out, but aviation will be stronger in the end.