Electra and VertiPorts by Atlantic Partner to Advance Ultra Short Operations in New York City

Partnership will explore how new and existing vertiports could accommodate Electra's EL9 Ultra Short aircraft, which can take off and land in 150 feet

MANASSAS, Va., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Electra and VertiPorts by Atlantic, a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlantic Aviation, today announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to assess infrastructure opportunities that could bring Ultra Short aircraft operations closer to where people live and work.

The two companies will explore how different forms of infrastructure, like barges, piers, or elevated surfaces, could unlock Ultra Short operations at new and existing VertiPorts by Atlantic sites in New York City. This marks the first step in a broader collaboration to identify opportunities for Ultra Short access points across multiple regions.

The initiative comes on the heels of Electra's successful demonstration at Downtown Skyport in Lower Manhattan, marking what is believed to be the first time a fixed-wing aircraft without vertical takeoff capability has landed at the heliport. Electra is advancing Direct Aviation, a new model of point-to-point regional travel that complements the existing hub-and-spoke system with distributed access points closer to where journeys begin and end.

Electra's inaugural Direct Aviation Market Outlook, a nationwide analysis of nearly one billion trips, identified 35 million passenger trips each day across distances of 50 to 500 miles. The outlook estimates potential time savings of approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes from New York City to Boston, 3 hours and 30 minutes to Washington, D.C., and 45 minutes to Philadelphia.

"The demand already exists for regional travel that is faster and more convenient, and Direct Aviation is about meeting that demand," said Diana Siegel, Vice President, Commercial Programs at Electra. "By assessing how new and existing VertiPorts by Atlantic sites could accommodate the EL9 Ultra Short, we are taking a step toward connecting New York City with communities across the region and showing what Direct Aviation has to offer."

"Electra's ability to operate from dramatically smaller footprints presents exciting opportunities to reimagine how regional air transportation connects with urban environments," said Kevin Cox, CEO of VertiPorts by Atlantic. "Together, we're assessing how existing and emerging infrastructure can support a new generation of aircraft and provide travelers with faster, more convenient connections throughout the Northeast and beyond."

Unlocking Direct Aviation

Electra is building the aircraft and ecosystem needed to move Direct Aviation from concept to reality at commercial scale. Electra's EL9 Ultra Short is a nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft designed to take off and land in as little as 150 feet. The EL9 does this while meeting the Rule of Six, or the essential requirements needed to make Advanced Air Mobility practical at scale: quiet operations, expanded access, uncompromising safety, meaningful payload, practical range, and affordability. By delivering helicopter-like access with the safety benefits of fixed-wing flight, Electra is making regional air travel safer, quieter, and more accessible to people and communities.

Electra's Direct Aviation Market Outlook projects that this new category of regional air service could carry one million passengers per day within its first decade of operations. Serving that demand will require an estimated 12,000 to 16,000 aircraft, supported by distributed access points, regional operators, regulatory frameworks, and a scaled aviation supply chain.

Electra recently selected Springfield, Ohio, as the site of its first EL9 production facility. The planned $850 million development is expected to create nearly 2,000 jobs and ultimately support production of up to 800 aircraft annually, providing the industrial foundation to bring Direct Aviation to communities across the United States and beyond.

About Electra

Electra.aero, Inc. (Electra) is an advanced air mobility (AAM) company building hybrid-electric Ultra Short airplanes that deliver unprecedented performance advantages to fly people and cargo seamlessly without airports, emissions, or noise. With the EL9 Ultra Short, Electra is pioneering Direct Aviation, the next level of connectivity that brings air travel closer to where we live, work, and play. Electra's Ultra Short technology delivers 2.5x the payload and 10x longer range with 70% lower operating costs than helicopters and eVTOLs with significantly greater safety and far less certification risk.  

Electra's team includes some of the most respected and successful entrepreneurs and engineers in novel aircraft design, with over 40 prior aircraft successfully developed and/or certified. Lockheed Martin Ventures, Honeywell Aerospace, and Safran are among Electra's strategic investors along with Prysm Capital, the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), and other private investors. Electra's contracted customers include the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, and NASA along with over 2,200 letters of intent from 60+ commercial customers, including both airlines and helicopter operators.

About VertiPorts by Atlantic

VertiPorts by Atlantic is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlantic Aviation, one of the nation's largest networks of fixed base operations (FBOs) with 108 locations across North America. Building on Atlantic Aviation's 98 years of experience in safety, service, and operational excellence, VertiPorts by Atlantic is dedicated to developing and operating next generation vertiport infrastructure to support advanced air mobility (AAM). With a focus on seamless integration, customer experience, and sustainability, VertiPorts by Atlantic is positioned to connect communities, enable emerging eVTOL operations, and extend the trusted Atlantic Aviation standard into the future of urban and regional air transportation. VertiPorts by Atlantic is Where Innovation Lands, to learn more please visit https://www.vertiports.com.  

Media Contacts

Matthew Bowen
Vrge Strategies
 matthew@vrge.us

Andrew Backover
Levee Communications
andy@leveecommunications.com

SOURCE Electra.aero