BETA Technologies, a Vermont-based electric aviation company, is entering into a partnership with the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Mississippi State University to explore using electric aircraft for medical transport and emergency response.
Sam Hobbs, a business developer at BETA says that while new technologies are typically prohibitively expensive, the operating costs for electric aircrafts are around one third that of traditional aircrafts. Hobbs says those savings come from electricity being a lot cheaper than jet fuel and electric motors being cheaper to maintain than other plane engines.
“That allows them to fly maybe more missions that they wouldn’t otherwise use an aircraft for,” Hobbs said. “But also just drive down the cost of care, ultimately, and provide more service where they might not otherwise provide it.”
BETA has developed two electric aircrafts and says they will be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration next year. The company plans on selling those crafts to logistics-focused customers first like UPS, hospitals and the U.S. military.
Marc Rolph, Director of Communications at UMMC says the hospital is partnering with BETA because of the technology’s potential to aid in things like air ambulance flights and organ transplant deliveries.
“Our overarching goal is to foster a healthier Mississippi,” Rolph said. “If there’s new technology, especially in regard to transportation, that is going to help us with that, then we want to be on board.”
A network of electric aircraft charging stations is being built by BETA across the eastern United States so the needed infrastructure is there when electric planes are actually being flown. One of the chargers was unveiled at the Jackson airport on Tuesday, the fourth in the state. For at least a few years though, it’ll just be charging electric cars.