Electra.aero, Inc., an aerospace company, has announced successful flight demonstrations of its hybrid-electric Ultra Short prototype for military stakeholders. The demonstrations, held at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico and at Felker Army Airfield at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, showcased the aircraft’s dual-use capabilities for logistics operations in austere environments.
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The Ultra Short aircraft’s unique ability to take off and land in extremely short distances from minimally prepared areas was a focal point of the demonstrations. This enables rapid and flexible resupply missions in contested environments where traditional airstrips may be unavailable or compromised. The demo flights included takeoffs and landings from grass fields, demonstrating austere operations off-runway without the need for ground support infrastructure. Electra Chief Test Pilot Cody Allee flew tight 150-foot radius turns to showcase the aircraft’s low-altitude, low-speed maneuverability, further emphasizing the plane’s survivability in complex military scenarios.
The demos included a mobile power generation display, during which the pre-flight presentation equipment and sound system were powered directly from the airplane. As a mobile power generator, the production aircraft will offer over 600 kW of continuous power and more than 1 MW for short bursts, making it a versatile asset for a variety of military missions, from tactical insertions to medical evacuations. Electra’s Ultra Short aircraft also provides significant operational energy advantages, with fuel consumption that is one-third that of helicopters performing similar missions. Electra’s aircraft are positioned to support operations in remote locations with minimal infrastructure, potentially operating from ships and barges.
Electra continues to expand the Ultra Short aircraft flight envelope during the ongoing flight test campaign. The technology demonstrator is providing critical data to inform the development of Electra’s nine-passenger piloted production aircraft, which is being developed under an active STRATFI contract with AFWERX.
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