Electra signs with Atlas Group as key manufacturing partner for EL9 hybrid-electric airframe

Electra is developing its EL9 Ultra Short aircraft to usher in what it describes as “Direct Aviation.”

Electra’s nine-passenger aircraft is being designed to take-off and land in as little as 150ft. That ability to operate from smaller airfields should enable shorter, more direct journeys between communities. EL9’s entry into service is targeted in 2030.

Combining Electra’s concept with Atlas’ manufacturing expertise

The partnership with Atlas will enable Electra to draw on proven production expertise as the EL9 programme moves through flight testing and certification toward scaled commercial production. The EL9 production facility will be based in Springfield, Ohio, with first deliveries expected off the line for test flights in 2027.

The agreement marks “another great milestone in Electra’s journey to open a new era of aviation,” said Marc Allen, CEO of Electra. He noted that the two companies will work closely to mature the EL9’s production architecture. Atlas will take responsibility for manufacturing and assembling EL9 airframes ahead of flight testing and certification.

How the EL9 will enhance regional connectivity

“The EL9 is designed to transform how people travel,” added Allen. He explained that realising this vision requires the ability to build and deliver aircraft with the consistency and scale of an advanced production system.

“Atlas, with its manufacturing expertise and aerospace discipline, now joins us in turning the EL9 from a new kind of airplane into a way of connecting communities.”

Atlas Group CEO Greg Harwell echoed that enthusiasm. He described his goal as helping to transform a hybrid-electric aircraft concept into a “producible, scalable platform.”  He aims to “bridge the gap between innovation and production, ensuring the EL9 is positioned for successful growth and long-term market adoption.”

Powering ultra-short operations

The EL9’s blown-lift aerodynamics and distributed electric propulsion work together to generate the lift needed for ultra-short operations. Meanwhile, an onboard turbogenerator supplies the electrical power required for practical regional range and payload.

By combining the accessibility of a helicopter with the speed, comfort and operational flexibility of a fixed-wing aircraft, the EL9 is designed to make direct regional air travel practical.

The partnership with Atlas follows the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) formal certification basis for the EL9. This has set the framework for several industry firsts, including distributed hybrid-electric propulsion, blown lift for ultra-short take-off and landing and advanced fly-by-wire flight controls.

Electra has also agreed a development and production agreement with Safran for the TG600 turbogenerator that will power the EL9.

Regional mobility market driving demand

Investments in the EL9 are driven by a regional mobility market that Electra says exists at “significant scale.” The company’s Direct Aviation Market Outlook identifies around 35 million passenger trips each day across US regional routes between 50 and 500 miles. At the heart of that market, trips of between 50 and 250 miles are typically those that Electra is looking to serve.

Electra estimates that serving this modelled Direct Aviation market between 2030 and 2040 will require 12,000 to 16,000 EL9 aircraft.

With more than 2,200 provisional orders secured from more than 60 operators worldwide – including its latest order from Bristow Group for a pre-delivery payment agreement to secure the first five EL9 delivery slots plus options for 45 more – Electra is gearing up to scale in line with demand.

The race is on, but time will tell whether the regional mobility market delivers on that forecast.