# FAA Authorizes BETA eVTOL Market-Survey Flights

The FAA issued BETA Technologies the first Special Airworthiness Market Survey Certificate for an eVTOL aircraft, authorizing the company’s ALIA A250 to conduct market-survey flights with operators and participants across a broader geographic area. The certificate enables evaluation and market validation; it is not a contract award, and the announcement identifies no solicitation. The signals also cite eight eIPP projects across 28 states and, separately, $12.5 billion in funding for national air traffic control modernization.

- Operators, aviation-service providers, and suppliers can evaluate potential roles supporting ALIA A250 market-survey flights and the eIPP projects.
- Companies interested in participating should account for FAA requirements and the upcoming advanced air mobility demonstrations referenced in the announcement.
- The $12.5 billion air traffic control modernization funding is a separate market signal; the announcement does not identify a related solicitation or award.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Transportation
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 22, 2026

### Government Entities
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)

### Vendors
- BETA Technologies (Special Airworthiness Market Survey Certificate recipient and ALIA A250 eVTOL aircraft manufacturer)

### Key Quotes
> The FAA is committed to working with American innovators to safely integrate these new aircraft into our national airspace, while maintaining the rigorous safety standards that have made the United States a global leader in aviation.
> — Bryan Bedford, FAA Administrator

> The FAA’s special airworthiness certification of BETA’s A250 aircraft is another critical step towards enabling the future of flight in America.
> — Sean P. Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation

### Sources
- [Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces First-Ever Special Airworthiness Market Survey Certificate for eVTOL Aircraft | Federal Aviation Administration](https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-announces-first-ever-special-airworthiness) - FAA
- [Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces First-Ever Special Airworthiness Market Survey Certificate for eVTOL Aircraft | US Department of Transportation](https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-announces-first-ever-special) - DOT