Bristow Norway AS, a subsidiary of Bristow Group Inc., has conducted the first flight of BETA Technologies all-electric ALIA CX300 at Stavanger Airport, marking the debut of Norway s Test Arena for Zero & Low Emission Aviation. Developed in collaboration with Avinor and the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway (CAA Norway), the Test Arena will run for six months, evaluating customer routes and operational readiness for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).

Initial test flights will operate between Stavanger and Bergen, with potential expansion across Norway. With its composites-intensive design that optimizes payload, range, and IFR capabilities, ALIA is considered well-suited to Norway s distributed geography and cold-weather conditions. A BETA-trained Bristow crew will handle piloting and maintenance throughout the program.

Norway s Ministers of Transport and of Climate and Environment hailed the flight as a landmark step toward sustainable aviation, emphasizing its role in green transition, job creation, and innovation. Industry leaders from Bristow, BETA, CAA Norway, and Avinor stressed the importance of cooperation among regulators, operators, and manufacturers to enable safe and scalable zero-emission flight operations.

The ALIA arrived in Norway after a multi-country journey from Shannon, Ireland, with stops in the UK, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Denmark, including daily demonstration flights at the Paris Air Show.

Source: www.bristowgroup.com