Beta Technologies wins federal pilot slot for electric medical flights in Vermont

Beta Technologies, the electric aircraft maker based in South Burlington, Vermont, said Monday it had been selected for a Trump administration federal pilot program that will allow the company to begin medical and cargo logistics flights between Vermont and New York this year.

The selection fast-tracks Beta through the Federal Aviation Administration’s rigorous certification process for electric aircraft operations — a regulatory milestone that CEO Kyle Clark said advances the company’s entire business model by more than a year.

“This is a huge opportunity,” Clark said on a call with investors Monday morning, adding the program was effectively “advancing our entire business model by more than a year.”

Partners and route

Beta will work with Metro Aviation, a medical helicopter transportation company, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to operate the Vermont–New York corridor. New York is the designated lead state on the project.

Metro Aviation already flies medical equipment and cargo back and forth across Lake Champlain, according to the AP report. The new program will add electric aircraft to that operation.

Beta was approved for seven of the eight projects it applied for within the program, company leadership said in Monday’s statement. Projects under the broader pilot will operate in at least 10 states.

Federal program and regulatory pathway

The pilot program was created by the Trump administration and is designed to fast-track selected electric aircraft through the FAA’s certification process, which has been a significant bottleneck for the emerging industry.

“Congratulations to the great American innovators behind each of these exciting pilot programs,” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a statement Monday.

Financials and charging network

Beta’s stock jumped by over 10% on Monday for its highest close in over a month, despite the company reporting a net loss of nearly $750 million in 2025.

Clark said the pilot program selection also advances the company’s push to control its electric aircraft charging network, which has expanded across much of the eastern United States.

“This advances our strategy to maintain ownership of the network that controls the flow of energy into electric aviation,” Clark said.