NCDOT Helps Activate Electric Aircraft Recharging Site

In late March, an electric aircraft charger was used to power up an all-electric airplane for the very first time in North Carolina at the Raleigh Executive Jetport in Sanford-Lee County.

[Above photo by NCDOT]

The Raleigh Executive Jetport and the North Carolina Department of Transportation helped BETA Technologies recharge its all-electric “ALIA” airplane as part of an electric aviation demonstration project.

The Charge Cube Level-3 fast-charger recharged the aircraft so it could take off and travel to BETA’s headquarters in Vermont. The Charge Cube is the state’s first station for charging electric aircraft, NCDOT noted.

“This is an exciting advancement for North Carolina’s aviation sector,” said Julie White, NCDOT’s deputy secretary for multimodal transportation, in a statement. “By embracing this infrastructure early, we are positioning our state to be a leader in advanced air mobility, attract business expansion and create new opportunities in aviation.”

This infrastructure site joins BETA’s expanding nationwide charging network, which now includes nearly 50 sites across the East, West and Gulf coasts.

[Editor’s note: The Utah Department of Transportation recently participated in a similar demonstration project with BETA’s ‘ALIA’ all-electric aircraft; an effort detailed in the video below.]

“A little over a year ago, we flew our prototype aircraft through Raleigh Exec [Jetport] on our way to our first military deployment,” said Thea Wurzburg, BETA’s state relations lead. “It’s special to be here … with our first production aircraft, charging at our new Charge Cube. North Carolina has long recognized the benefits of Advanced Air Mobility and we look forward to continuing to partner on this next phase of aviation.”