- News
- Nov 17, 2024
- 7 min read
Electra Launches EL9 Hybrid-Electric STOL Aircraft
The aircraft will be able to take off from a runway just 45 meters long.
Electra unveiled its plans for the EL9, a hybrid-electric, nine-passenger ultra-short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft that will use distributed electric propulsion and blown-wing technology to take off from a runway just 45 meters long. Calling the EL9 “just an airplane,” Electra CEO Marc Allen said the unveiling marks the launch of an actual product rather than a vision. “This is not a prototype. This is not a concept. This is a product; this is a real, world-changing product,” said the former senior Boeing executive.
Scheduled to enter the market in 2029, the EL9 is designed to support the concept of what Electra calls direct aviation—the ability to fly point to point, directly where the passenger wants to go, whether that is a parking lot, helipad, grass field, small regional airport, or other traditional airport infrastructure. The ultra-short aircraft can land in an area the size of a football field. Electra aims to bring to market an affordable aircraft that addresses challenges involving access, noise, and emissions, Allen added.
The goal is to give the EL9 the capabilities of an eVTOL aircraft or helicopter for takeoff and landing flexibility, but with a range of 2000 kilometers with IFR reserves and a cruising speed of 320 km/h. “It offers helicopter-like performance with the safety and lower cost levels of a fixed-wing aircraft,” Allen said.
In a cargo or passenger configuration, the EL9 will be able to carry 9 passengers with baggage—or 1360 kilograms of cargo—over a distance of 611 kilometers. The fly-by-wire aircraft is designed for two pilots but is equipped with Safe Single Pilot technology for single-pilot operations.
The aircraft will be equipped with a Safran TG 600 turbogenerator that will power 8 motors, 4 on each wing, and 4 independent battery packs located underneath. Installed closer to the tail on the E9, the turbogenerator will recharge the batteries in flight, eliminating the need for ground charging infrastructure. When necessary, such as in populated areas sensitive to noise, the aircraft will be able to fly entirely on electric power.
Electra said the combination of blown lift and distributed electric propulsion will enable safe, controlled operations at speeds as low as 65 km/h for short-runway approaches. Through the aerodynamic effect of blown lift, airflow over the wing is increased, generating lift at a much lower airspeed than conventional aircraft. In addition to certification and market entry in 2029, Electra plans to begin flight testing in 2027.
In addition to the Safran turbogenerator, Electra has selected Honeywell flight controls. Decisions on the cockpit, motors, and batteries may follow in the first half of next year.
The model’s launch came a year after flight testing of Electra’s prototype, the two-seat EL2 Goldfinch, which logged about 60 hours. According to the company, the prototype validated Electra’s technology for the EL9, meeting all expectations.
The company says it has preliminary orders for more than 2100 EL9s, which it values at $8 billion. Allen told an audience that included executives from some of its 52 customers that the company had begun accepting deposits so they could secure early positions in the delivery queue. In addition to customers, the program is supported by numerous investors, including Lockheed Martin Ventures, Honeywell, Safran, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, Statkraft Ventures, and other private organizations.
Electra, which continues to promote a military version of the EL9, has received support from government programs involving the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Navy. In an announcement this week, NASA appointed Electra to lead a group of partners developing aircraft technologies and concepts for next-generation commercial airliners.
Emphasizing that the company has an “agile mindset,” Allen said that Electra is “starting small” with the EL9, but that the technologies and vision can be scaled to much larger aircraft.
Electra unveiled its plans for the EL9, a hybrid-electric, nine-passenger ultra-short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft that will use distributed electric propulsion and blown-wing technology to take off from a runway just 45 meters long. Calling the EL9 “just an airplane,” Electra CEO Marc Allen said the unveiling marks the launch of an actual product rather than a vision. “This is not a prototype. This is not a concept. This is a product; this is a real, world-changing product,” said the former senior Boeing executive.
Scheduled to enter the market in 2029, the EL9 is designed to support the concept of what Electra calls direct aviation—the ability to fly point to point, directly where the passenger wants to go, whether that is a parking lot, helipad, grass field, small regional airport, or other traditional airport infrastructure. The ultra-short aircraft can land in an area the size of a football field. Electra aims to bring to market an affordable aircraft that addresses challenges involving access, noise, and emissions, Allen added.
The goal is to give the EL9 the capabilities of an eVTOL aircraft or helicopter for takeoff and landing flexibility, but with a range of 2000 kilometers with IFR reserves and a cruising speed of 320 km/h. “It offers helicopter-like performance with the safety and lower cost levels of a fixed-wing aircraft,” Allen said.
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In a cargo or passenger configuration, the EL9 will be able to carry 9 passengers with baggage—or 1360 kilograms of cargo—over a distance of 611 kilometers. The fly-by-wire aircraft is designed for two pilots but is equipped with Safe Single Pilot technology for single-pilot operations.
The aircraft will be equipped with a Safran TG 600 turbogenerator that will power 8 motors, 4 on each wing, and 4 independent battery packs located underneath. Installed closer to the tail on the E9, the turbogenerator will recharge the batteries in flight, eliminating the need for ground charging infrastructure. When necessary, such as in populated areas sensitive to noise, the aircraft will be able to fly entirely on electric power.
Electra said the combination of blown lift and distributed electric propulsion will enable safe, controlled operations at speeds as low as 65 km/h for short-runway approaches. Through the aerodynamic effect of blown lift, airflow over the wing is increased, generating lift at a much lower airspeed than conventional aircraft. In addition to certification and market entry in 2029, Electra plans to begin flight testing in 2027.
In addition to the Safran turbogenerator, Electra has selected Honeywell flight controls. Decisions on the cockpit, motors, and batteries may follow in the first half of next year.
The model’s launch came a year after flight testing of Electra’s prototype, the two-seat EL2 Goldfinch, which logged about 60 hours. According to the company, the prototype validated Electra’s technology for the EL9, meeting all expectations.
The company says it has preliminary orders for more than 2100 EL9s, which it values at $8 billion. Allen told an audience that included executives from some of its 52 customers that the company had begun accepting deposits so they could secure early positions in the delivery queue. In addition to customers, the program is supported by numerous investors, including Lockheed Martin Ventures, Honeywell, Safran, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation, Statkraft Ventures, and other private organizations.
Electra, which continues to promote a military version of the EL9, has received support from government programs involving the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Navy. In an announcement this week, NASA appointed Electra to lead a group of partners developing aircraft technologies and concepts for next-generation commercial airliners.
Emphasizing that the company has an “agile mindset,” Allen said that Electra is “starting small” with the EL9, but that the technologies and vision can be scaled to much larger aircraft.
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