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. Electra’s order pipeline, valued at $9 billion, is one of the biggest in the Advanced Air Mobility Industry.
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 new logistics capabilities to warfighters, including the ability for them to land on unimproved terrain, improve safety, reduce cost, power operations, and transport critical logistics.
“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 allows us to achieve what jet-fuel alone cannot do. We’ve created a fix-wing aircraft that provides the access of helicopters with 100 times less sound, 70 percent lower costs, improved safety and dramatically reduced emissions. The global aviation industry’s response has been incredible. Our customers consider the EL9 aircraft a true game changer, and are using its ultra-short takesoff capabilities to open new routes to areas with space or noise restrictions. Together, we enable a fundamental leap in advanced air mobility.”
Electra’s Ultra Short Technology Suite integrates blown lift with hybrid-electric propellers to create a platform for aviation that was impossible a decade earlier. It offers increased accessibility, low noise, affordability and sustainability, all in a single solution that works with existing infrastructure.
The nine-passenger EL9 can carry up to 3,000 pounds and has a range of up to 1,100 nautical mile. It also features in-flight charging, which eliminates the need for charging infrastructure on the ground. The ability to fly from unimproved surfaces, such as grassy fields, parking lots and repurposed Heliports, opens up new routes, allowing for greater economic opportunities.
Electra has recently gained new customers, including operators who are interested in the EL9’s advantages of noise reduction, cost-efficiency, lower emissions, improved safety, and more. 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 who are incorporating the EL9 in their fleets to reduce operational costs and expand service to new destinations. This includes: Bristow Group, 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.
