Electra has selected The Atlas Group to manufacture the airframes for its EL9 short take-off and landing aircraft as the program moves through flight test and certification.
Under the agreement, Wichita, Kansas-based aerostructures and components supplier Atlas will manufacture and assemble the EL9 airframes for Electra’s flight test and certification program, with work due to begin this month and first deliveries expected in 2027.
Electra, based in Manassas, Virginia, is developing the EL9 as a nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft that uses distributed electric propulsion and blown-lift aerodynamics to take off and land in as little as 150ft (46m). The design gives it electric short take-off and landing (eSTOL) performance from sites far smaller than conventional airports, with a turbogenerator supplying onboard power for regional range.
The aircraft uses eight electric motors along the wing’s leading edge to generate the blown lift, with power drawn from batteries and a Safran TG600 turbogenerator. Electra has signed a life-of-program agreement with Safran for the turbogenerator, placing an initial order for 250 units.
Electra submitted the EL9 for Part 23 type certification with the FAA in December 2025, and in July the agency established the aircraft’s certification basis. The framework covers what Electra describes as several industry firsts, including distributed hybrid-electric propulsion, blown lift and fly-by-wire flight controls.
Greg Harwell, CEO of Atlas, said, “We are excited to be a part of the Electra team as we engage in transforming a groundbreaking hybrid-electric aircraft concept into a producible, scalable platform.”
The agreement is one of several steps toward production. Electra has chosen Springfield, Ohio, for its first EL9 factory, a planned US$850 million investment expected to create nearly 2,000 jobs and to build up to 800 aircraft a year.
The company reports more than 2,200 provisional orders from over 60 operators, and Bristow Group has taken the first delivery slot for five aircraft with options for 45 more, subject to certification. Electra has been flying its two-seat EL2 Goldfinch demonstrator aircraft since 2023 and is targeting EL9 service entry in 2030.
