UDOT unveils new clean aircraft at Salt Lake International Airport

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Transportation has unveiled a new clean aircraft that they say will usher in a new era of aviation.

Beta Technologies is the maker behind the ALIA CX- 300, an all-electric aircraft that was showcased Wednesday at UDOT's hangar at the Salt Lake City International Airport.

The aircraft flies in a short range for now — approximately 300-400 miles at a time, depending on the load — but Blain Newton, Beta's chief information officer, is optimistic about that improving in the years ahead.

For now, he is looking at Utah as a perfect place to develop this new aviation technology.

"Twenty years from now, you'll see much bigger aircraft, you'll see aircraft flying a much longer way," Newton said. "You'll see regional aircraft mobility start to open up. There's 46 regional airports in Utah; we'll see those all open up for at-scale advanced air mobility."

Beta Technology's mission is to create a future of sustainable aviation.

According to Newton, Monday's demonstration flight cost less than $2 in fuel.

On top of those advantages, he says there's also technology available for autonomous aircraft mobility, but safety remains the top concern for Beta Technologies, in tandem with the Federal Aviation Administration.

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