Electra
"Opening a New Era of Aviation"
Virginia eSTOL aircraft maker whose hybrid-electric EL9 needs only 150 feet to take off, backed by Lockheed Martin, Safran, and Honeywell.
Electra (Electra.aero, Inc.) is a Manassas, Virginia-based aerospace company founded in 2020 by Dr. John S. Langford III, a serial aerospace entrepreneur who previously founded Aurora Flight Sciences, working with MIT professors John Hansman and Mark Drela on an aircraft design intended to be more affordable to build and operate than conventional eVTOL designs. Rather than pursuing vertical takeoff, Electra develops hybrid-electric 'ultra-short takeoff and landing' (eSTOL) aircraft that use blown-lift and distributed electric propulsion to take off and land in approximately 150 feet, an approach the company calls 'Direct Aviation' that it says allows regional flights from small strips, parking lots, or other non-airport sites without the runway infrastructure vertical-lift aircraft still require ground clearance for. The company's technology demonstrator, the EL-2 Goldfinch, completed its first piloted flights in November 2023. Its primary commercial product is the EL9 Ultra Short, a nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft; Electra submitted an FAA Type Certification application for the EL9 in December 2025. The company has secured strategic backing and partnerships from Lockheed Martin, Safran, and Honeywell, including a partnership with Safran for development and production of the TG600 turbogenerator used in the EL9's hybrid-electric propulsion system. Electra has raised at least $115 million in a Series B round as of April 2025 and reports more than 2,200 aircraft on pre-order from over 60 operators worldwide. In July 2026 the company announced an $850 million investment in a new advanced manufacturing plant in Springfield, Ohio, to support production of the EL9. Electra also maintains a defense-focused business segment, Electra Defense, applying its ultra-short-field aircraft technology to military logistics and mobility use cases. The company's aircraft are aimed at regional commercial aviation operators and defense customers seeking runway-independent air mobility rather than the vertical-lift eVTOL air-taxi market most competitors target. Because the EL9 uses fixed-wing blown-lift aerodynamics assisted by distributed electric propulsion rather than tilting rotors or lift fans, Electra argues its design avoids much of the mechanical complexity, noise, and energy penalty associated with vertical takeoff, while still permitting operations from short strips, parking lots, and other unimproved or non-airport sites close to where passengers actually want to travel. The Springfield, Ohio manufacturing plant announced in July 2026, representing an $850 million investment, is intended to scale production of the EL9 for both commercial airline and defense customers as the company moves through FAA certification.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
EL9 Ultra-STOL Aircraft
Hybrid-electric ultra-STOL aircraft taking off in 150ft, carrying 1,000 lb payload over 1,000 nautical miles for logistics and defense missions.
Contact Electra
WEBSITE
https://electra.aeroPHONE
+1 703-479-7870HEADQUARTERS
United States
Company Facts
Founded
2020
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
employees 50-100
Primary Region
North America
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
Growth / Late-Stage VC
Funding Total
-
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Transportation
