New York: In a major breakthrough, an electric aircraft for carrying passengers made its first flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Taking off from East Hampton, flight Operated by Beta Technologies covered about 70 nautical miles (130 km) just in over 30 minutes earlier this month, according to Fox News.
‘This is a 100% electric aeroplane that just flew from East Hampton to JFK with passengers on it, which was a first for the New York Port Authority and the New York area. We covered 70 odd nautical miles in 35 minutes,’ said Kyle Clark, founder and chief executive of Beta Technologies.
Kyle Clark, who was at the controls during the flight, reportedly said that the flight was affordable as it cost just around $8 (about ₹700).
The flight was cheaper considering about $160 (₹13,885) it would have cost in fuel for the same distance for a helicopter.
Electric flight’s quieter motors allow passengers comfortably talk during flight compared to conventional aircraft engines.
Founded in 2017, Beta Technologies based in Vermont has developed electric aircraft allowing ‘conventional takeoff and landing and vertical takeoff and landing’.
The CX300, the flight that landed in New York, can cover up to 250 nautical miles on a single charge.
Beta Technologies looks forward to secure certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The electric planes, according to Kyle Clark, can provide ‘a cleaner, quieter, and cheaper’ short journeys between cities or suburbs.