BETA’s ALIA electric aircraft makes demo flight at Billy Bishop Toronto Airport

BETA Technologies presented its Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) electric aircraft, the ALIA CTOL, in a demonstration flight at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ). 

Also known as the CX300 ALIA, this sleek fixed-wing, battery-powered aircraft is designed for regional mobility, aiming at reducing emissions and noise compared to conventional aircraft. 

The demonstration flight took place on August 18, 2025, during an event co-hosted by fixed-base operator (FBO) Stolport, according to a statement from the airport.  

The airport said the flight signified its “readiness to invest in the foundations and technology required for electric aircraft.”

.@bbishopairport & @StolportCorp took a big step toward greener, quieter, emissions-free travel with a Beta Aircraft charger & Alia demo flight. YTZ is a vital hub for our economy, and today Billy Bishop led the way on clean aviation & better northern connections. pic.twitter.com/8WLF3qW5iL— James Maloney (@j_maloney) August 18, 2025

“Canada is an important international focus for us. We’re excited to have flown ALIA into the heart of Toronto and to be teaming up with Stolport to help electrify Billy Bishop as the region embraces this new form of mobility,” said Sheradin Fabrizius, Sales Director at BETA Technologies. 

BETA Technologies has been developing its advanced fixed-wing electric aircraft, the ALIA CTOL, since 2024. The first production model, manufactured at the company’s site in South Burlington, Vermont, successfully completed its first test flight on November 13, 2024, under the Federal Aviation Administration’s multipurpose experimental airworthiness certificate. 

Stolport installs Canada’s first BETA charger 

BETA is setting up a network across the US to provide reliable charging for this new type of aircraft. RJ Steenstra, the President and CEO of PortsToronto stated that the Billy Bishop Toronto City airport is “well positioned to be an early adopter of new technology”. 

In the statement, Stolport, a fixed-base operator at the airport, also revealed its acquisition of a BETA Minicube charger, marking BETA’s first charger sale in Canada. This mobile unit is multimodal and interoperable, meaning it can charge both electric aircraft and ground vehicles. 

To date, BETA has installed 52 chargers at airports and other sites across the US, supporting commercial, military, and medical operators. 

These installations, done in collaboration with airports, FBOs, government bodies, and OEMs, aim to “bring electric aviation to both metropolitan areas as well as rural and hard-to-reach communities with limited access to air transportation.” 

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport serves over two million passengers annually, providing transport to more than 20 cities in Canada and the US, along with connections to over 100 international destinations. 

The ALIA CTOL aircraft is currently undergoing testing between Stavanger (SVG) and Bergen (BGO) airports in Norway. The flight campaign should last for six months. 

AeroTime met with BETA Technologies co-founder and CEO, Kyle Clark at the Paris Air Show 2025 in order to learn more about the CX300 ALIA and the way it works. 

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