Marshall, BETA launch electric aviation training effort at Yeager Airport
The partnership is focused on preparing West Virginia students for aviation careers as electric aircraft and charging infrastructure develop.
Marshall University and BETA Technologies are developing an electric-aviation training program in West Virginia, using the companies’ aircraft and airport infrastructure to prepare students for careers in the field. The partnership was showcased Friday at Marshall’s Bill Noe Flight School at West Virginia International Yeager Airport in Charleston.
The effort is workforce preparation for an emerging industry, not a sign that battery-powered planes are about to become a routine passenger option. Marshall Chief of Aviation Operations Nancy Ritter said the program will help students train for new aviation careers as the technology develops.
What the partnership will do
The university and BETA plan to build a comprehensive electric-aviation training program in West Virginia. Marshall described the collaboration as focused on workforce development and training, but the announcement did not specify when courses will begin, how many students will take part or what the curriculum will include.
BETA makes electric aircraft, and the collaboration is intended to help students prepare for a range of aviation careers. Ritter said that training pilots to use emerging technology can position them to enter the industry. The announcement did not detail which roles, beyond pilot preparation, the program will cover.
What electric flight can do now
BETA’s battery-powered conventional fixed-wing aircraft have a range of about 215 nautical miles, according to the report. Yeager is one of 65 airports with charging infrastructure to power the company’s electric planes, giving the training effort access to on-site charging.
Electric aircraft are not yet a normal commercial airline option, and passenger operations will require certification, the report said. Batteries also provide less energy per pound than jet fuel. BETA pilot Chris Caputo said, “The electrification of aviation, I do believe, is going to be the future whether it's on the smaller scale of fully electric or on a bigger scale of hybrid-electric.”
This report draws on information from WCHS and Yahoo Finance.
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