September Plane Talk

An example of the future of airplanes visited King County International Airport this week. The Beta Technologies Alia CX300, an all-electric conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, was showcased at a company event on September 2, with Signature Aviation playing host. Airport staff, along with members of Friends of Boeing Field, toured the Alia CX300 during its stop. 

The aircraft received its airworthiness certificate last March, right after it rolled off the production line, and is approved for "Market Survey, Crew Training, Research and Development."

The Alia CTOL, or CX300, uses a runway for takeoff and landing, unlike its vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) sibling, the Alia VTO or A250. The CX300 is a key part of Beta's certification strategy.

Operational highlights:

• U.S. Demonstration Tour (2025): A CX300 flew more than 8,000 nautical miles across the U.S., including landing at major airports like Atlanta (ATL) and John F. Kennedy International (JFK) in New York.
• European Tour (2025): The aircraft was sent on a European tour, with stops in Ireland, the U.K., and France, including an appearance at the Paris Air Show.

Aircraft specifications are available on the Beta Technologies website.

Beta plans to return to KCIA next month with the passenger version of the aircraft.

As part of King County International Airport’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, the airport recently transitioned its entire regular diesel fleet to renewable diesel.

“We have 45 pieces of equipment and trucks that will be renewable diesel,” said Colin Douglas, Maintenance Manager at the airport.

Now instead of spewing higher levels of pollutants like nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and carbon monoxide, all the airport’s heavy-duty equipment, from generators to snow plows and fire trucks, will use renewable diesel. Renewable diesel is primarily made from used cooking oil and inedible animal fats left over from processing meat, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Renewable diesel offers multiple benefits, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality.

“The amount of greenhouse gas savings that we’ve seen since we switched over in September of 2024 is a huge number,” said Isaac Wisdom, Manager of Fleet Operations in the county's Fleet Services Division.

Fleet Services began using renewable diesel last fall, receiving deliveries of more than 200,000 gallons since then. The total reduction in carbon emissions compared with regular petroleum-based diesel fuel is 58% or 1,386 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

“This alternative fuel is really beneficial for us in reducing our impact on the environment and our community and serves as a bridge as we work towards implementation of zero emission vehicles,” said Chauntelle Hellner, Director of the Fleet Services Division.

A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found renewable diesel reduced both carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions when compared with petroleum diesel. It meets the same fuel quality specification as petroleum diesel, and can be used in existing diesel engines and refueling infrastructure, according to DOE.

“It’s a complete turnkey [operation],” Douglas said. “Just put it in the tank and you’re good to go, no equipment cleaning, no tank cleaning.”

Production and availability of renewable diesel has improved in recent years, making it a viable choice.

“We got guidance and information from Fleet [Services] that other county departments were using renewable diesel with reliability, so we felt comfortable transitioning our fleet,” Douglas said.

Kelsee Davison

The airport welcomes Kelsee Davison, who has joined the Finance and Contracts team as a Fiscal Specialist. Davison brings more than 11 years of hands-on experience in full-cycle Accounts Payable. She has supported smaller companies in the Seattle area, where she continually expanded her skills and responsibilities. She also served as an Accounts Payable Associate at Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and most recently worked as the Senior Accounts Payable Coordinator at TransWest.

“I originally applied for the position simply because … I was eager for a new experience,” Davison said. “After my interview with the Finance team my interest skyrocketed; I learned the airport was an incredibly unique form of government that was likened to being its own small city and that was very appealing to experience.”

A lifelong resident of Maple Valley, Davison enjoys gathering with friends for tabletop role-playing games and playing video games with her siblings on Discord. She spends her downtime with her beloved pets — dogs, cats, and a reptile — and is always happy to swap stories about them.

“One thing I find a bit humorous about working for KCIA is that despite close family working in aviation and hearing about planes most of my childhood, I know very little about them,” she said. “In fact, I am actually terrified of flying!”

The airport welcomes Demetra Annest, a new Contract Specialist II on the Finance and Contracts team.

“I am thrilled to join the Department of Executive Services and KCIA, and I look forward to the many new and exciting opportunities that King County has to offer,” Annest said.

Annest comes to the airport from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, where she worked as a Contract Specialist. In addition to government contracting, she brings experience in management and technology consulting. She began her career in affordable housing.

She earned an undergraduate degree in Political Science with a specialization in Legal Studies and a Master of Business Administration from Seattle University.

In her free time, Annest loves reading and listening to audiobooks and has checked off 29 books from her 2025 “To Be Read list” so far. She has a surprisingly sweet Shiba Inu named Miso. She is a native Washingtonian and grew up in the Tacoma area.

The American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) has announced that Valerie Alexander, author of "Happiness as a Second Language," and Sarah Keimig, Senior Culture Partner at Alaska Airlines, will keynote the Inclusion in Aviation Conference in Bellevue this fall.

King County International Airport-Boeing Field is the host airport for the third edition of the conference, which will be AAAE's first on the West Coast.

Valerie Alexander

Alexander is a globally recognized speaker, author, and advocate for workplace happiness, inclusive leadership, and the advancement of women. Her TEDx Talk, How to Outsmart Your Own Unconscious Bias, has more than a million views in total and is used as a training tool worldwide. Alexander has spoken for Fortune 500 companies, NASA, the U.S. Naval Academy and more, blending humor, research, and real-world insight to inspire change. She is a bestselling author of multiple books on success and gender equity. 

Itzel Perez Morales

Innovation and Maintenance GIS Intern

Bellevue College, majoring in civil engineering with a focus on transportation

“Before this internship, I did not have any experience in aviation,” Perez Morales said. “Currently, I have been able to learn about the FAA standards for GIS mapping and how engineering plans are incorporated into GIS. This internship has also been great in figuring out whether I do want to be in a transportation focus. So far, I have loved the work I do and the ever-changing tasks.”

“I plan on applying for a master or bachelor program with a focus on civil engineering. These programs can be quite competitive, but I believe this internship will show that I am serious in pursuing a second degree and will make me stand out amongst other applicants. Additionally, I get to gain skills relevant to my field of interest and gain exposure to different companies involved in transportation engineering.”

John Farnandez

Innovation and Maintenance Intern

North Seattle College, pursuing an undergraduate degree in computer science with a focus in data science

“I’m very excited to get the chance to show off what I’ve learned in school by applying it here at KCIA,” Farnandez said.

“I’m looking forward to learning more about aviation and what it takes to run an airport as well as explore more ways that my skills can be applied to the technologies and date that are used at KCIA/BFI to make more informed business decisions. With this internship I’ll continue to develop my professional experience and be able to see how the field of Computer Science can be used in many different areas not just in tech. I’m very excited to see where this leads into a future career whether that be in another field or continue within aviation.”