Governor Kathy Hochul announced that BETA Technologies, a cutting-edge electric aerospace company whose aircraft will perform critical cargo, military, and medical missions, will partner with Clinton County on a $41 million expansion of its existing facility at Plattsburgh International Airport. The new, upgraded facility will serve as the manufacturing and final assembly hub for BETA’s all-electric aircraft and will establish a permanent flight test and aircraft delivery center, responsible for final flight testing, aircraft painting, and customer delivery, at one of the North Country’s busiest transit hubs. BETA’s expansion in Plattsburgh will deepen the company’s commitment to developing one-of-a-kind aerospace technology in New York State, strengthen the North Country’s reputation as a modern transportation hub, and build on Governor Hochul’s continued investments to support clean transportation and a greener economy. As part of the agreement to expand operations at Plattsburgh International Airport, BETA Technologies has committed to creating 85 full time jobs in exchange for a $20 million grant awarded to BETA via Clinton County from Empire State Development’s Regional Economic and Community Assistance Program.

“If you’re looking for the jobs of the future, come to New York! This expansion of BETA Technologies in Plattsburgh is exactly the kind of growth and innovation that’s supercharging New York’s economy for the 21st Century,” Governor Hochul said. “From the North Country to Central New York to New York City, my Administration is making transformative investments that create jobs, expand opportunity and grow our economy in every region of the state.”

BETA Founder and CEO Kyle Clark said, “New York State has a strong workforce and a track record of leadership when it comes to supporting and enabling next-generation transportation. At BETA, we’re focused on making aviation cleaner and more efficient for the future, and that requires a number of pieces including technology, infrastructure, and a capable workforce. We’ve been developing, flying, and maintaining our electric aircraft at Plattsburgh International Airport since 2017, and in that time, we’ve been overwhelmed by the State and County’s support of our vision. From policymakers to schools and small businesses, we’ve found resonance here and look forward to doubling down to accelerate our growth and operations to create more quality jobs in the state.”

For the past five years, BETA’s flight test center at Plattsburgh International Airport has served as the point of origin for most of its innovative technology, ensuring many of the company’s largest flight milestones have been completed in New York State. Its longest recorded flight of an electric aircraft spanned 336 nautical miles, from Jamestown to Plattsburgh. BETA has secured firm orders from top global operators including UPS, United Therapeutics, Bristow, LCI, Blade, and Helijet, and has multiphase contracts with the U.S. Air Force and Army.

BETA’s all-electric aircraft generates zero operational emissions, can be recharged in under an hour with BETA chargers and have been designed to optimize payload capacity and range. BETA is creating a nation-wide electric charging network that is also compatible with electric vehicles. The company has installed aircraft charging stations at 15 locations in the U.S. including Jamestown, Rome, and Plattsburgh airports, and has 55 more sites across the country in production including at Elmira, White Plains, Republic, Hudson Valley Regional and Albany International Airports, with plans to continue expanding across the country.

BETA is partnering with local schools and other businesses to grow jobs and develop the workforce in Clinton County and beyond. BETA partners with universities like Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Clarkson University, participating in career fairs and facilitating student design challenges for academic programs like Authentic STEM, and is working with Champlain Valley Educational School to develop curriculums and courses to prepare students for future careers in advanced manufacturing and electric aviation.

Today’s announcement complements Governor Hochul’s ongoing investments in building clean transportation infrastructure in New York State. The State is investing more than $2.7 billion for clean transportation initiatives and requires all new passenger cars, pickup trucks, and SEVs sold in the State to be zero emissions by 2035. In addition to federal funding, New York’s EV charging Make-Ready and EVolve New York Programs are connecting communities to reliable charging infrastructure that enables the transition to zero-emission vehicles statewide.

The North Country is home to a vital cluster of transportation equipment and aerospace companies across the seven-county North Country region of New York State that produces next generation transportation equipment and aerospace components built around road, rail, air, and marine transportation due, in part, to its proximity to Quebec’s global Transportation Equipment & Aerospace cluster. Transportation manufacturing in the North Country accounts for nearly 1,000 jobs and contributes over $150 million to the State’s gross domestic product.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “BETA Technologies’ expansion into New York State reflects the state’s many strategic investments at Plattsburgh International Airport and builds on our sustainable economic development efforts to attract new, green jobs and businesses to the North Country and across the state.”

State Senator Dan Stec said, “BETA is at the cutting edge of electric aviation and technology, and the Plattsburgh facility has proven to be crucial in the company’s research and development. This new expansion will further those efforts and expand opportunity and development in the North Country. Our region has a great deal of economic potential, and partnerships with companies like BETA are crucial in turning that potential into careers and long-term growth.”

Assemblymember Billy Jones said, “This is a great investment by New York State to not only invest in cutting edge aerospace technology but also for job creation and workforce development. The North Country has identified itself as a cluster for aerospace and transportation manufacturing technology and Beta Technologies is a vital part of this through job creation and their partnership with local students from CV-TEC to teach them the skills they need to succeed in their future careers. This funding will expand their technology campus at Plattsburgh International Airport and support the transportation manufacturing sector here in Clinton County. I want to thank Clinton County for all their hard work to support Beta Technologies in getting this funding.”

Clinton County Legislature Chairman Mark Henry said, “The future of aviation is right here in Clinton County and we are proud to have been partners with BETA Technologies since their start on the Plattsburgh International Airport just four years ago. Clinton County has been steadfast in supporting economic growth and workforce development, particularly with regard to the transportation manufacturing cluster. On behalf of the Clinton County Legislature, I extend my sincere gratitude to Governor Hochul for her commitment to supporting the County’s endeavor to partner with BETA Technologies to build this state-of-the-art green aeronautical campus.”

Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Michael S. Cashman said, “The green economy and electric technology aren’t fleeting trends but a proven trajectory toward a more sustainable and prosperous future. BETA Technologies leads on this transformative path. Time and time again BETA has made history in aviation. This investment leading to the expanding footprint in the Town of Plattsburgh with a flight test and delivery center for electric aircraft at Plattsburgh International Airport is a significant win for the North Country. The dynamic partnership of NYS, BETA, and our local community proves the sky is no longer the limit. To new heights ahead!”

Champlain Valley Educational Services Director of Career and Technical Education Michele Friedman said, “The CV-TEC Division of CVES is delighted to be in partnership with BETA Technologies on innovative and ground-breaking training programs that unlock unique opportunities and career paths. Our North Country CV-TEC students are extraordinarily talented, and it gives us great pride to showcase and connect their talents with industry innovators such as BETA Technologies.”

New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State’s nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $55 billion in 145 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 165,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2021 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and more than 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change.