SOLA, Norway - Fresh off a multiweek European “Grand Tour” comprising stops in Ireland, the U.K., France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Denmark, Beta Technologies’ all-electric CX300 is conducting its first test flights in Norway.
The aircraft, tail number N214BT, was recently delivered to customer Bristow Group, whose pilots took it to the skies for the first time on Friday. The flight marks the start of a six-month series of evaluations within Norway’s international test arena for zero- and low-emission aviation. The country’s civil aviation authority in March gave Beta and Bristow the green light to conduct the test arena’s inaugural demonstrations, Jack Daleo writes for Flying. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
12 August 2025 - Bristow Norway AS, a subsidiary of Bristow Group Inc., has begun flight operations of BETA Technologies’ all-electric ALIA CX300 aircraft at Stavanger Airport, launching Norway’s Test Arena for Zero & Low Emission Aviation. Conducted with Avinor and the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway (CAA Norway), the program will run for six months, evaluating Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) operations on potential customer routes. Early flights will connect Stavanger and Bergen, with expansion planned to other Avinor-operated airports.
The ALIA CX300, optimized for payload, range, and instrument flight rules (IFR) capability, is designed for cold-weather operations and Norway’s distributed geography. Bristow pilots trained by BETA will operate and maintain the aircraft throughout the project, gathering data to inform regulatory, operational, and infrastructure requirements for zero-emission aviation.
"To be delivering ALIA to our partners at Bristow and kicking off operational testing here in Norway is a big moment for BETA," said Shawn Hall, BETA's Chief Revenue Officer. "Bristow has been with us from the start and shares our drive for progress, and Norway, with its spirit of innovation and modernization, is a perfect place to move this technology forward. Handing off the aircraft to a customer is, in part, a huge milestone, but it's also an important launchpad for all that comes next for the industry."
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics