Norway to signs agreement to be testing location for electric aircraft
BERGEN, Norway - Norway has signed its first formal agreement for zero-emission aircraft demonstration flights as part of its efforts to become an international test arena for sustainable aviation. The agreement, signed 4 March at Bergen Airport, includes American aircraft manufacturer BETA Technologies and Bristow Norway AS, a subsidiary of Bristow Group Inc.
The test program will begin in late summer with cargo flights between Stavanger Airport and Bergen Airport using BETA’s ALIA CX300 electric conventional takeoff and landing (eCTOL) aircraft. Bristow Norway will operate the flights, initially launching from Stavanger before expanding to the full route in the fall. The aircraft, recently built at BETA’s Vermont facility, has received U.S. FAA certification for day and night operations under visual and instrument flight rules.
Norway’s National Transport Plan has allocated one billion kroner to accelerate low-emission aviation. “The goal is to establish Norway as a global testbed for these technologies,” said Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård.
Avinor will support airport infrastructure, including charging stations, while Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority will oversee regulatory adaptation.
"Avinor's role is to facilitate the infrastructure at airports and make the airspace available for actors who wish to test various zero- and low-emission aircraft in an operational environment. We seek more knowledge about what different technologies and aircraft require in terms of airport facilities and necessary energy supply needs. For example, we currently have a procurement process underway for fast chargers for electric aircraft in Bergen and Stavanger to accommodate the first test flight," says Karianne Helland Strand, Executive Vice President for Sustainability, Concept, and Infrastructure Development at Avinor.
