Electra, in partnership with Surf Air Mobility Inc. (“Surf Air Mobility”) and Virginia Tech, successfully completed the first series of public demonstrations of its Ultra Short aircraft capabilities earlier this month.

The demos – captured as part of a new video series – highlight how blown lift and hybrid-electric propulsion together enable takeoffs and landings in 150 feet or less at Ultra Short Access Points connected to novel airstrips, austere environments, or campus settings.

These groundbreaking capabilities accelerate Electra’s bold vision for advanced air mobility via Direct Aviation, opening the door to thousands of potential new routes that can be flown once its flagship EL9 Ultra Short aircraft reaches commercial service in 2029.

The demonstrations took place at several locations at Virginia Tech, including:

•A 300-foot by 75-foot paved surface used for takeoff and landing of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
•An access road on a closed test-bed campus research facility managed by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
•A grass field at The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center