Electra announced last week at the Farnborough International Airshow that it has selected Springfield, Ohio, for its first EL9 Ultra Short production facility. The company plans to invest $850 million in the project and create 1,975 jobs at the 96-acre site next to Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport.
Construction Planned For 2027
“Electra is opening a new era of aviation, one where flight is direct, accessible, and closer to the communities it serves,” Electra CEO Marc Allen said in the company’s announcement. “This agreement is the moment that our vision moves from demonstration into reality.”
Design work is scheduled to begin immediately, followed by construction in 2027. Electra said the initial phase will provide capacity for as many as 400 aircraft per year. A planned second phase would raise annual capacity to 800 aircraft. State and local incentives remain under development, and the project will seek an Ohio Job Creation Tax Credit.
EL9 Moves Toward Certification
The EL9 is a nine-passenger fixed-wing aircraft that combines hybrid-electric propulsion and blown-lift technology. Electra is designing the aircraft to operate from areas as short as 150 feet, which could include small airfields and other locations without conventional airport infrastructure.
Electra has submitted the EL9 for FAA Part 23 type certification and expects the first flight of a conforming aircraft in late 2027 or early 2028. The company recently completed the aircraft’s certification-basis agreement with the FAA and signed Safran Helicopter Engines to develop and produce its TG600 turbogenerator. Electra said its Manassas, Virginia, facilities will remain in operation after the Ohio plant opens.
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