Electra's EL9 harnesses the power of blown lift and hybrid-electric propulsion to take off and land in 150 feet; unlocking era of aviation without airports
MANASSAS, Va., March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Electra.aero, Inc. (Electra), the aerospace company pioneering Direct Aviation as a new category, has secured 2,200 pre-orders for its groundbreaking EL9 Ultra Short hybrid-electric aircraft. Valued at nearly $9 billion, Electra's order pipeline is one of the largest in the Advanced Air Mobility industry.
Electra's 9-passenger EL9 Ultra Short aircraft provides increased access, low noise, affordability, and sustainability in one solution that operates with existing infrastructure.
Electra's Ultra Short – which integrates blown lift and hybrid-electric propulsion to take off and land in just 150 feet -- enables air operators to connect communities that lack aviation infrastructure, fly into airports with strict noise restrictions, create new opportunities and business models for cargo services, and save travelers significant time and hassle. It also introduces entirely new logistics capabilities for warfighters including the ability to land on unimproved surfaces, improve safety and reduce cost, power ground operations, and carry out critical logistics transport.
"Electra's Ultra Short is the unlock for a new era of air travel – what we call Direct Aviation – that is as transformative as it's practical," said Marc Allen, CEO of Electra. "Hybrid-electric propulsion enables us to achieve what jet fuel alone can't do; we've created a fixed-wing airplane that delivers the access of a helicopter with 100 times less noise, 70 percent lower cost, improved safety, and dramatically reduced emissions. The response from the global aviation industry has been tremendous. Our customers see the EL9 aircraft as a true game-changer, and they're using its ultra-short takeoff capabilities to open the door to new routes in areas with space and noise constraints. Together, we're enabling a fundamental leap forward in advanced air mobility."
Electra's Ultra Short technology suite integrates blown lift aerodynamics with hybrid-electric propulsion to create an aviation platform that would have been impossible a decade ago. It provides increased access, low noise, affordability, and sustainability in one solution that operates with existing infrastructure.
The nine-passenger EL9 delivers up to 3,000 pounds of payload capacity and a range up to 1,100 nautical miles, with in-flight battery recharging that eliminates the need for ground charging infrastructure. The ability to operate from compact spaces and unimproved surfaces including grass fields, parking lots, and repurposed heliports opens new routes and economic opportunities, making regional air mobility for passengers and cargo more affordable and accessible than ever before.
Electra's most recent customers include operators seeking the EL9's advantages in noise reduction, cost efficiency, lower emissions, and improved safety. New customers include: Akansel (Turkey) and Dieng & Co Engineering (Senegal) in partnership with Flow Aero (US/Turkey), Caverton Helicopters (Nigeria), Copenhagen Helicopter and Copenhagen Air Taxi (Denmark), 5 Star Helicopter Tours (US), Global Vectra Helicorp (India), and Helicidade Heilporto (Brazil).
They join Electra's existing customers, which are incorporating the EL9 into their fleets to lower operational costs and open service to new destinations. This includes: Bristow Group, the world's leading global provider of vertical flight solutions to government and civil organizations, and Electra's operational launch partner; leading on-demand private aviation platforms including Indian operators JetSetGo and Blade India, Brazil-based Flapper in Latin America, Germany-based flyv in Europe, Finland-based LYGG in Scandinavia, and U.S. regional airlines JSX and Surf Air.
About Electra Electra.aero, Inc. (Electra) is a pioneering aerospace company building hybrid-electric Ultra Short airplanes that achieve never-before performance advantages to fly people and cargo seamlessly without airports, emissions, or noise. With the 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, and Safran are among Electra's strategic investors along with Prysm Capital, Statkraft Ventures (Norwegian sovereign fund), the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), and other private investors. Electra's contracted customers include NASA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Navy, along with over 2,200 Letters of Intent from 50+ commercial customers, including both airlines and helicopter operators.
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