Beta Technologies unveils their new electric aircraft at Heber City Municipal Airport Photo: TownLift//Randi Sidman-Moore
HEBER CITY, Utah — An electric aircraft capable of carrying five passengers touched down at Heber City Airport on Tuesday, showcasing technology Utah officials hope will revolutionize transportation in time for the 2034 Winter Olympics.
The demonstration of BETA Technologies’ ALIA aircraft marked the third stop in a statewide tour that began Monday at Salt Lake International Airport. The flights represent a significant milestone in Utah’s advanced air mobility (AAM) initiative, which aims to create a network of electric aircraft serving communities across the state.
“As a key regional transportation hub, Heber connects the Wasatch Front to rural eastern Utah. That makes it a prime location for advanced Air Mobility infrastructure and investment,” said Heber City Mayor Heidi Franco during the demonstration event.
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Beta Technologies unveils their new electric aircraft at Heber City Municipal Airport
Jake Goldman, representing BETA Technologies, highlighted the advantages of electric aviation for mountain communities like those in the Wasatch Back.
“Electric aviation is fundamentally quieter than traditional aircraft and lower cost to operate,” Goldman said. “Being from Vermont, we understand what it’s like to be in a state where you’ve got diverse terrain, you’ve got difficult geography, you got mountains you got to drive through. And so the opportunity to fly over those mountains, be more efficient or cost effective, and get people and things to where they need to go quicker, just provides a whole host of opportunities.”
Beta Technologies unveils their new electric aircraft at Heber City Municipal Airport
Utah’s population growth and the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics have accelerated the state’s interest in diversifying transportation options. Last year, state and business leaders launched the Air Logistics Transportation Alliance (Project Alta) to establish an advanced air mobility system with four phases of implementation planned before the Games.
State Representative Mike Kohler, who represents Wasatch County, acknowledged the state’s financial commitment to the project.
“I do appreciate the fact that there are a few times when some of the funds that the state put in through the governor’s office and through inland court and other agencies actually come to fruition and do something like this,” Kohler said at the event.
Beta Technologies unveils their new electric aircraft at Heber City Municipal Airport
BETA’s ALIA aircraft can transport up to five passengers or 1,250 pounds of cargo and uses the company’s “Charge Cubes” — charging stations that work with most air taxi manufacturers’ aircraft and can also charge ground vehicles.
The technology could particularly benefit Wasatch Back communities by improving connectivity to urban centers, supporting tourism, and enhancing emergency medical transportation.
“I fly for Angel Flights, where we take patients from rural Utah, get them to a center where they can have medical care if they need it, mostly cancer patients,” said Scott Phillips a Heber City council member at the Heber event. “That would be so much more effective and efficient with electric air taxi type aircraft.”
After the Heber City stop, BETA’s demonstration tour continued on to Logan on Tueday and Vernal today, part of a series of flights at six airports across Utah.
According to UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras, “As Utah’s population grows and we face increasing demands on our ground transportation system, we know that advanced air mobility offers innovative new solutions to address our evolving mobility needs.”
The state plans to leverage its existing airport infrastructure, with officials noting that 90% of Utahns live within a 30-minute drive of an airport.
Laura studied at the University of Washington, earning a degree in economics with a focus on political science. Her career spans journalism, politics, wellness, and entrepreneurship. Having lived in mountain towns for the past 20 years, she now calls Park City, Utah, home. You can find her enjoying everything Park City offers, from mountain biking to Pilates and powder days.
