Canadian Heliport Operator Goes in on Alia 250 Electric Aircraft

Helijet International placed a firm order for 4 Beta Technologies Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft with the intention of running them along its fleet of almost 20 aircraft already in service.

The deal is a bit of a first for Canada, marking off the initial firm sale of a next-gen sustainable AAM platform to a domestic operator. Helijet was so excited about the purchase CEO Danny Sitnam held a press conference at the tail end of October to announce the deal alongside reps from Beta Technologies and the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility group. The firm’s collection of coastal heliports has grown from a small half-hour route between Vancouver and downtown Victoria all the way to an operation boarding more than 2.5 million passengers per year. 

The Alia 250s will allow Helijet to haul 5 passengers at a time once it achieves certification in 2026, allowing rotary-wing performance at a price point far easier on the piggy bank thanks to its all-electric running gear. The purchase makes Helijet a first for Beta Technologies, too, a deal they believe came about because of their intention to actually certify the Alia for IFR.

“We are proud to partner with BETA Technologies, who are leaders in the advanced air mobility space,” said Sitnam. “We are committed to introducing and integrating zero-emission, vertical lift technologies and related ground/building infrastructure in the communities we serve and look forward to transforming our current heliport infrastructure to meet future urban air mobility vertiport standards.”

FMI: www.Helijet.com