Golden Triangle Regional Airport inaugurates Mississippi’s first electric aviation charger

Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTR) has partnered with BETA Technologies and Avflight to install and commission the first-ever electric aviation charging station in the state of Mississippi.

4-County Electric Power Association served as the utility partner in bringing these chargers online for public access.

BETA’s charging stations are multimodal and interoperable, capable of powering electric aircraft and ground vehicles alike. The chargers are designed with the combined charging system standard to prioritize vehicle compatibility - offering universal utility to benefit the varied patrons of Avflight and GTR.

GTR has installed one Level 3 Fast-Charger located inside the fence (air side), which will primarily be used by electric aircraft, and one Level 2 Charger located outside the fence (car side), which will primarily be used by members of the public who drive electric vehicles. With this new infrastructure, the airport is well-positioned to support the electric transportation future.

BETA flew its all-electric ALIA aircraft into GTR to receive the inaugural airside charge. The aircraft - one of two configurations BETA is currently developing and certifying with the FAA - arrived in Mississippi following a demonstration in Houma, Louisiana, with partners at Bristow, and a months-long deployment with the US Air Force at Duke Field in Florida.

“This new installation is a significant step toward advancing the airport and region's aviation infrastructure and supporting the growth of electric aircraft technology,” said GTR Executive Director, Matt Dowell.

Joe Max Higgins, Executive Director of the Golden Triangle Development LINK, added, “The Golden Triangle region is at the forefront of economic development in the Southeast. BETA’s decision to place the state’s first electric charging station for aircraft at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport is an indication that we are bringing leading technology to our state.”

“As electric transportation continues to grow, and electric aviation specifically moves closer to market operations, charging infrastructure will only become more and more important,” said Nate Ward, BETA’s Head of Network Development. “We’re excited to have partners like Golden Triangle Regional and Avflight, whose foresight and innovative approach are leading the entire state of Mississippi forward. As we continue to deploy our chargers in key markets, and as the entire industry continues to grow, these chargers will help accelerate connectivity across the country."

Avflight’s Vice President of Finance and Treasurer, Garrett Hain, said, “By offering a fast commercial charging station on the Avflight ramp, along with a dual port electric vehicle charger for the parking lot, we’re able to host an array of sustainably-powered vehicles, including industry-leading options, like BETA’s ALIA-250 Aircraft. It’s not only an investment in our FBO and airport, but also an investment in our community and environment.”

“This project marks an exciting advancement in aviation, and we're proud Neel-Schaffer contributed to bringing Mississippi its first electric aircraft charging station,” shares Joshua P. Stump, P.E., Senior Project Manager at Neel-Schaffer, Inc. “Our team was honored to conduct plan reviews to optimize for future development and create a safety action plan for the project. We're excited to see the project used by the aviation community, as it truly represents innovation and the future of aviation engineering.”

This effort was a collaboration among many entities including Mississippi State University.

This new charge site in Mississippi is part of a growing national network of electric infrastructure that BETA is building out across the US. Over the past several months, BETA has commissioned five chargers in five states and has sold chargers to the Department of Defense, Atlantic Aviation and Archer Aviation. Currently, BETA has chargers online at 18 site locations from Vermont to Arkansas, Alabama and Florida - with more than 55 additional sites in development for public and private use by commercial, military and medical entities.

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 22nd February 2024 | Issue #736