Bristow Group: First Formal Agreement to Use Norway as an International Test Arena for Zero- and Low-Emission Aviation Signed

BERGEN, Norway, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In April 2024, Avinor and the Civil Aviation Authority entered a collaboration to establish Norway as an international test arena for zero- and low-emission aviation. On March 4, 2025, the first formal agreement for demonstration flights was signed at Bergen Airport, Flesland, with American aircraft manufacturer BETA Technologies and Bristow Norway AS, a subsidiary of Bristow Group Inc. Demonstration Flights Start in Q3 The demonstration flights will be cargo flights without passengers, conducted using BETA's ALIA CX300 conventional take-off and landing (eCTOL) aircraft, which will be flown by Bristow Norway. The cargo flights will operate initially between Stavanger Airport and Bergen Airport, starting from Stavanger in late summer, with the entire route commencing later in the fall. BETA recently completed the production build of the ALIA aircraft that will perform these demonstrations. The aircraft, BETA's second production-intent vehicle, was manufactured at the company's scaled production factory in Burlington, Vermont, USA and has already received airworthiness certification for VFR, IFR, day and night flying from the FAA. It will arrive in Norway later this year. Government Ambitions through the Aviation Strategy and the National Transport Plan "The government's goal in the National Aviation Strategy and the National Transport Plan 2025-2036 (NTP) is to accelerate the transition to zero- and low-emission aviation. To achieve this, one billion kroner has been allocated in the NTP. The first major initiative is the establishment of Norway as an international test arena for zero- and low-emission aircraft", says Minister of Transport Jon-Ivar Nygård. "With an aviation industry committed to reducing emissions, a decentralized network of airports of various sizes, a significant regional air transport market, a proactive aviation authority, and a supplier industry specializing in battery-electric propulsion systems and hydrogen technology, we have a strong foundation for the early adoption of new technologies," says the Minister of Transport. Broad Involvement The goal of the test arena is to gain knowledge, learning, and to prepare the ecosystem and set the foundation for scaling. This means involving airlines, manufacturers, supplier industries, the energy sector, and other stakeholders. "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 Full story available on Benzinga.com