CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Officials at West Virginia’s busiest airport are excited for the future of aviation with a brand-new electric aircraft charger.
The West Virginia International Yeager Airport, in partnership with the Marshall University Bill Noe Flight School and BETA Technologies, recently unveiled an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) charging station.
Yeager Airport Director and CEO Dominique Ranieri told 580 WCHS that CRW was thrilled to bring the station to the Capital City. She said that Vermont-based BETA Technologies developed this future-focused station.
“That now means that CRW has the charging infrastructure for those aircraft to come and be able to charge — how they fuel — here at the airport and allow them to use our airspace for further development. and use of that technology,” Ranieri said.
Ranieri said it was important for Yeager to embrace this technology, as it will play a key role in the years to come.
“We wanted to be in on the ground floor of that technology and that infrastructure so that when those aircraft are approved for, say, passenger transport and cargo transport,” Ranieri said. “We can be one of those airports that offers those that service to passengers and to companies here in West Virginia.”
Ranieri noted that the future of aviation is moving towards electric.
“It is an emerging industry within aviation,” Ranieri said. “I always say aviation changes every single day. The future of aviation is low emission and electric, and that’s what the technology that BETA brings.”
She said that BETA Technologies is hard at work, developing aircraft that will utilize the charging station.
“They are developing multiple-use cases for that electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL), and conventional or traditional takeoff and landing aircraft as well,” Ranieri said. “They are manufacturing those aircraft.”
Ranieri said that BETA had representatives on hand for the charging station ribbon cutting. She added that the Bill Noe Flight School will provide a pathway for students to learn how to operate the emerging technology.
“One of those aircraft was here for the event, which was very exciting, and it was also part of an announcement with Marshall University and training those pilots that can fly those aircraft,” she said.