b'GROUND SUPPORTMGM51The Future is Here a planning leader/project manager with the consulting firm to Remember the bubble-shaped vehicles swooshing all over the skycome along to the meeting. Both were impressed with the in The Jetsons? They werent called VTOLs, but thats the basicpotential of what Beta proposed. As a follow up, Davis visited Beta concept: aircraft that lift straight into the sky and can travel in everyheadquarters in Vermont to better understand the parameters. direction. In real life, a very small percentage of people have seenAmong MGMs stated goals are several clues about its forward-these battery-powered aircraft. Others may even doubt they exist,leaning orientation: Build a high-performance organization, thinking of them as fanciful creations that might appear somedayexpand for the future, strengthen relationships in the community, way into the future. enhance our airports sustainability efforts, deliver a world-class The reality is that these aircraft have been in testing for years,customer experience, and infuse innovation and technology while and some industry watchers say they are on the cusp of massmaintaining efficiency. The Beta initiative fits squarely into those adoption. Beta Technologies has conducted more than 25,000goals. Check, check, check. hours of testing and flown more than 500 piloted flights of itsMGM has always been a very unique place, Thomason battery-powered aircraft, and its gearing up for next steps. Thesesays. The airport covers every type of aviation. There is a whisper-quiet aircraft are touted as smart alternatives for deliveriesheavy general aviation presence, plus corporate, military and and smaller, congested airspaces. And because they dont burncommercial. Its an airport for all uses and users. It has the fossil fuels, they dont produce any direct carbon emissions.facilities to support all this activity, and the airport plays a pivotal But without a robust charging network, they wont get far.role in the future of the region. The chargers were focused on launchingMost of Betas chargers are Level 3 (also called DC fast-this year are developed in-house here incharging), capable of 50 kilowatts or more of power. The goal is Burlington, explains Nate Ward, head ofto fully charge an aircraft in less than an hour.Network Development for Beta. When weWhen we think about putting a charger in the ground, looked around, we noticed there are a lotwere looking to align with airport stakeholders like airport of solutions for car chargers but fewer foradministration and planning (architecture and engineering), Ward aviation chargers.says. Typically, the airport doesnt change for decades, so the Leaders from Beta note that the companyNATE WARD charger needs to fit for a long time. is well funded (it closed a $375 million Series B funding round in 2022) and growing. In 2021, the companyIts Happeningagreed to sell 10 eVTOL aircraft to United Parcel Service forThe charging station at MGM was installed near the fixed base package deliveries. The electric technology supports UPS goaloperators parking lot to maximize space and flow on the tarmac to be 100% carbon neutral by 2050 and allows the companyand taxiways. Its also highly visible to everyone who enters and to explore a new way to advance past its competitors. Bothexits the airport. companies see their deal as a major milestone for the commercialWhat were really trying to do is amp up VIP visibility status acceptance of eVTOLs. Beta founder Kyle Clark told CNBC thatto not only promote the airport, but Beta and Montgomery the partnership telegraphs to the entire business community thatAviation, Thomason explains. You see this with cars; EVs get electric vertical aircraft are real.prime parking spots to promote use and visibility. Critically, we Theyre already feeling real at MGM, which opened an electrichad to make sure this station wouldnt interfere with the FBOs aircraft charging station on Feb. 5 this year. Ward notes that Betaregular activity, because charging could conceivably take longer has been charging vehicles for more than a decade, but therethan fueling an aircraft with Jet A. We wanted to build in growth are more nuances involved when chargers are brought insidepotential. the security fence of an airport. He praises the team at MGM forOne aspect that was particularly appealing to Davis was its vision and positive relationship. All parties recognize that thisthat Beta didnt require or request any capital expenditure. By installation will have myriad stages of development, he notes.partnering with MGM and other airports in the region, Beta is Its a process, not an event, Ward specifies.building a network for its own eVTOL and fixed-wing electric aircraft fleet and others. And by providing charging networks to Building the Infrastructureairports at no cost, it puts the company in a unique position to Goodwyn Mills Cawood has served as MGMscapitalize on its vision, hand in glove.airport engineer and planning consultant sinceElectrification in aviation is happening, says Thomason. Its 2009 and has been through several roundsnot far out of reach. I think its prudent to include electrification of reselections ever since. The consultingas part of the airports planning process. The base infrastructure firm was in the middle of developing anwere putting in can be retained and adapted as the industry airport terminal area plan and layout plandictates.update when Beta reached out to MGM.MATT THOMASONDavis consequently asked Matt Thomason, AirportImprovement.comMarch | April 2024'