Hartzell Propeller has received FAA Part 35 Type Certification for the first propeller specifically designed for advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft. This marks a historic milestone in electric aviation and was achieved in close collaboration with BETA Technologies, whose proprietary electric propulsion systems served as the testing platform for the new propeller.
This certification makes Hartzell’s propeller the first FAA-approved propeller tailored exclusively for electric engines. These new-generation propulsion systems, such as those developed by BETA, handle a wide range of operational conditions—from regenerative braking to electric start-up—all of which the propeller has been engineered to support.
The approval comes after thousands of hours of ground and flight testing over four years, confirming that the propeller exceeds FAA Part 35 performance and safety standards.
Developed since 2021, the project evolved from aerodynamic modeling to full-scale testing and validation, resulting in a high-performance, low-noise propeller purpose-built for electric engines and the future of sustainable aviation.
BETA Technologies will utilize the propeller across both its ALIA VTOL and ALIA CTOL aircraft, optimizing their efficiency, range, and noise profile. Hartzell’s innovation is not limited to BETA aircraft—it is adaptable to a wide range of AAM platforms using similar electric propulsion technologies.
Notably, BETA has flown its ALIA aircraft with Hartzell propellers for more than four years, completing several industry firsts, including:
– The first crewed eVTOL transition flight
– A coast-to-coast electric aircraft mission across the U.S.
– And now, a Grand Tour of Europe, showcasing the aircraft’s long-range capabilities.
