Habitat for Aviation Visits BETA Technologies: Wings in the Making

Written By Beth White

As we walked into the BETA Technologies manufacturing facility, we were immediately struck by a sense of purpose. This was more than a workplace—it was a space where vision and innovation take flight. We were warmly greeted by Rayan, our dedicated BETA engineer and Sunday volunteer at our Habitat for Aviation build. Her familiar smile set the tone for the visit, and it wasn’t long before several other familiar BETA team members welcomed us with open arms.

From the waiting area, we had a sweeping view of the operations floor, a front-row seat to the magic that happens daily at BETA. The scale of the facility was breathtaking—so large, in fact, that electric scooters were scattered throughout to help staff get from one end to the other. As we moved through the production floor, we were met with friendly greetings and smiles from nearly everyone we passed. We also shared a few joyful moments with some of the employee dogs making their rounds, which added a unique and heartwarming touch to an already special experience.

Our beloved Bonnie proudly joined us wearing her Rosie the Riveter shirt—a perfect symbol of strength and the role women continue to play in aviation. Clad in our pink Habitat for Aviation swag, our group stood out, but the moment was about much more than appearances. The girls learned so much about VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) and CTOL (Conventional Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, along with the cutting-edge battery-powered technology that’s shaping the future of flight. The innovation we saw was not just inspiring—it was transformative.

With guidance from Doyle, Leilani, Ray, and Emma, we were treated to a tour we will never forget. It was more than just a behind-the-scenes look at aviation technology; it was a glimpse into what’s possible when dedication, imagination, and collaboration come together. Our visit to BETA reminded us all why we do what we do—and how high we can soar when we lift each other up.

Beth White

Education Possibilitarian, Artist, Writer, Doula, Mentor, Aviatrix, Breast Cancer Survivor, Pilot-in-Command at Habitat for Aviation


In the spring of 2022, Beth White emerged from a 10-month battle with breast cancer with an idea: to create an apprenticeship program at Franklin County State Airport where youth work alongside adult mentors servicing conventional and electric aircraft. A pilot and airplane mechanic apprentice herself, and with family roots in the trades, Habitat for Aviation provides an taxilane for world learning opportunities for youth and adults who love to work with their hands to enter the FAA’s apprenticeship certification track. Each day she puts systems in place that make real John Dewey’s philosophy that we “learn best what we live” – a deep throughline from her time at Antioch University New England and as Regional Director for Big Picture Learning. Each learning experience is grounded in relationships, relevance, and practice. In October, 2023, Habitat for Aviation launched its Women Build Planes program, where an all-female team of Modern Day Rosies is building an airplane at Franklin County Airport, in northwestern Vermont, to show folks everywhere that despite the fact that only 2.6% of airplane mechanics are female, women BUILD, FLY, and FIX airplanes.

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