Electra has partnered with Atlas in a landmark airframe agreement to manufacture and assemble EL9 Ultra Short aircraft as the program moves toward certification and commercial production.
Work is scheduled to start this month at Atlas’s facilities, with the first airframe deliveries expected in 2027. Under the agreement, Atlas will build airframes for Electra’s flight test and certification program, drawing on its expertise in complex aerostructures, automated manufacturing, and production system development. The two companies will collaborate to refine the production architecture, mitigate manufacturing risks, and establish the industrial framework needed to scale output post-certification.
Marc Allen, CEO of Electra, said, “Today’s agreement with Atlas is another great milestone in Electra’s journey to open a new era of aviation. The EL9 is designed to transform how people travel and where aviation serves us all. Realizing this vision requires more than a breakthrough aircraft; it requires the ability to build and deliver it 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 new way of connecting communities.”
The nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft is designed to take off and land in as little as 150 feet, bringing regional air travel closer to communities by operating from significantly smaller spaces than conventional airports. The aircraft pairs blown-lift aerodynamics with distributed electric propulsion to generate high lift, supported by an onboard Safran TG600 turbogenerator that supplies the electrical power needed for practical regional range and payload. Combining the accessibility of a helicopter with the speed, comfort, and operational flexibility of a fixed-wing plane, the EL9 aims to make direct regional travel quiet, safe, and affordable.
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. Atlas brings decades of expertise in aerospace manufacturing, industrialization, and supply chain execution to help bridge the gap between innovation and production, ensuring the EL9 is positioned for successful growth and long-term market adoption.”
The agreement with Atlas comes as Electra advances from technology demonstration toward commercialization. In July, the Federal Aviation Administration formally established the EL9’s certification basis, setting a framework for key features including distributed hybrid-electric propulsion, blown lift for ultra-short operations, and advanced fly-by-wire controls.
To support long-term production, Electra selected Springfield, Ohio, as the site for its first EL9 manufacturing facility. The planned $850 million investment is projected to create nearly 2,000 jobs and eventually support an annual output of up to 800 aircraft.
These industrial investments target a vast regional mobility market. Electra’s Direct Aviation Market Outlook identifies approximately 35 million daily passenger trips across U.S. routes between 50 and 500 miles, with trips between 50 and 250 miles often falling into a zone that is too long to drive yet too short for conventional flight. Electra estimates a market demand of 12,000 to 16,000 EL9 aircraft between 2030 and 2040.
To date, Electra has secured more than 2,200 provisional aircraft orders from over 60 global operators. Earlier this year, Bristow Group signed a pre-delivery payment agreement securing the initial delivery slot for five EL9 aircraft, alongside options for 45 more subject to certification. The EL9 is targeting commercial entry into service in 2030.
