Anchorage, Alaska-based cargo carrier Ryan Air has placed a deposit-backed order for Beta Charge Cubes to be placed across its network. The airline, which serves 70+ rural communities across Alaska, aims to expand its network of e-driven cargo aircraft and improve operational reliability in regions where air service is often the only link for food, medicine, industrial supplies and other essential goods.
Ryan Air currently operates 24 aircraft out of eight hubs in Alaska, including electrically powered freighters. It was founded in 1953 by Wilfred Ryan and his wife Eva as Unalakleet Air Taxi and employs 180 staff. Today, the company, which despite the similarity in name has nothing to do with the Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair, is run by Lee Ryan, the third generation of the family.
Reducing CO2 emissions
Under his leadership and that of his management team, the course has now been set for a network served by electric-powered aircraft. To this end, the company has ordered 10 Charge Cubes to power the fleet of ALIA electric aircraft, obtained from pioneering U.S. firm, Beta Technologies. They will serve routes in the remote regions of the most northern U.S. state which are inaccessible by road and depend on air transport for supplies. These charge cubes deliver sufficient energy to repower a CTOL*** aircraft and are compatible not only with Beta freighters but also with other electric aircraft and ground vehicles, including cars, trucks and buses. This lowers the strain on the local electricity grids, many of which in rural Alaska continue to rely on greenhouse gas emitting diesel generators. “By leveraging Beta’s battery technology and infrastructure, Ryan Air – together with local partners – can help bring greater energy reliability and sustainability to even the most remote parts of our state,” stated president, Lee Ryan. The executive went on to say: ALIA’s batteries “can be repurposed at the end of their flying life, creating second-life applications that support rural Alaska.”
e-powered freighters are on the advance…
Beta Technologies’ ALIA CTOL is able to accommodate up to 570 kg per flight (1,250 pounds) or five travelers in a passenger version. It is equipped with a proprietary H500A electric motor paired with Hartzell aircraft propellers engineered for electric and hybrid-electric propulsion. With a wingspan of 15 meters (50 feet), the ALIA achieves a range of 622 kilometers (336 nm) and a maximum speed of 285 km/h (153 knots). Its battery system allows power charging to 98% in less than an hour, which enables short operational stopovers.
… in Alaska and Scandinavia
In SEP2025, an ALIA freighter completed its first flight in Scandinavia, taking from Stavanger to Bergen. CargoForwarder Global reported: https://cargoforwarder.eu/2025/09/21/menzies-world-cargo-expands-in-scandinavia/ . The trial is part of Norway’s international test arena for zero- and low-emission aviation, and the route was flown to simulate cargo service. Stavanger – Bergen will be serviced regularly throughout the entire duration of the test phase. ***In electric flying, CTOL stands for Conventional Take-Off and Landing. This indicates that an e-powered aircraft still requires a runway for operations, similar to traditional airplanes, this way contrasting Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft.
