
Electra Aero has boosted the capital base for developing its EL9 hybrid-electric aircraft by raising $115 million through a Series B funding round. Announcing completion of the round on April 21, the Virginia-based company said the main backer is growth equity group Prysm Capital, whose co-founder and managing partner, Jay Park, has joined its board of directors.
The engineering team at Electra is close to completing the preliminary design review for what it refers to as an Ultra Short aircraft due to its projected ability to take off and land in just 150 feet. New funding will support the start of pre-production and certification work for the critical design review as the company strives to start flying a full-scale EL9 prototype in 2027. Recently, the company completed the system requirements review for the EL9 and is now preparing a bill of materials as it firms up the selection of suppliers for the aircraft’s key systems.