Very first look at the air taxi set to be flying in Utah’s skies
- Flying taxis have become increasingly popular in recent years
- Utah’s set to get its own now, with the ALIA
- It’s hoped that these will be rolled out for widespread use across the state
Published on Mar 12, 2025 at 9:49 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Mar 13, 2025 at 10:31 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
The air taxi that’s set to fly in Utah’s skies has finally been revealed to the public.
At this current stage, the craft will only be flying Utahns from airport to airport.
But they could be transporting people in-between ski resorts by the time the Olympics return to the US in 2028.
The taxi’s name is ALIA and it’s taken to the sky for the very first time.
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Utah’s flying taxi takes to the sky in a state first
Flying taxis are fast becoming a growing industry as tech workers look for alternatives to driving on land.
Major cities worldwide have been pushing for them to become a reality, including Paris and London.
ALIA first flew above the Beehive State on March 10, taking off from Duncan Aviation in Provo, UT.
The air taxi is the creation of 47G and BETA Technologies.
47G, a Utah-based aerospace and defense company, signed an agreement with air taxi manufacturer Beta Technologies back in January.
“This is a very special, momentous occasion for the state of Utah, but importantly for Utah County,” Aaron Starks, the president and CEO of 47G, said.
Joining him at Duncan Aviation was a gathering of Utah County leaders, elected officials, and stakeholders.
The ALIA taxi has an-electric propulsion system and can carry up to five passengers at a time, in addition to 1,250 pounds of cargo.
“It enables commuters to travel across the county and around difficult terrain, to carry critical cargo and medical supplies all over the state,” Jake Goldman, the director of public affairs at Beta Technology explained.
A engineer in attendance at the event, Emma Davis, said her favorite thing about ALIA ‘is that it’s quiet‘.
“You can take your headset off and have a conversation with a pilot, which is very abnormal for an aircraft of this size,” she said.
When might we see these being rolled out across the State?
Commissioner for Utah County, Amelia Powers Gardner hoped that the air taxis would reduce commuting times between Provo or Orem and locations west of Utah Lake.
“Getting from Eagle Mountain to Provo today takes 45 minutes,” she said.
“There are very few roads to travel.
“And even if we built every single one of those roads to max capacity, by 2050, we are still 40,000 trips a day short from Eagle Mountain to the [Interstate 15] corridor.”
Utah’s Department of Transportation has also been conducting a study to figure out which locations will be best suited to the flying taxis.
But this isn’t the first time the Department has taken an unorthodox approach to driving solutions. They’ve previously utilized laser beams to make roads safer.
We love a state that’s forward thinking!
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