Electra.aero, Inc. (Electra) has secured 2,200 pre-orders for its 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, according to the company.
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 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.