Electra Expands Footprint as Hybrid ‘Ultra Short’ Aircraft Gains Momentum | Aviation International News

Training and Workforce

Electra’s Footprint Grows as Hybrid ‘Ultra Short’ Aircraft Gains Momentum

Company announces expansions to facilities in Virginia and Switzerland

Electra’s EL9 Ultra Short — Electra intends to start flying a full-scale prototype of the nine-passenger, hybrid-electric EL9 Ultra Short airplane in 2027 as it works towards type certification under existing FAA Part 23 rules.

By Hanneke Weitering • Science & Technology Editor

September 30, 2025

To support the development of its nine-passenger hybrid-electric EL9 Ultra Short aircraft, Electra has expanded the facilities at its headquarters in Manassas, Virginia, as well as its research and development center in Bleienbach, Switzerland. Announcing the recent expansions on September 30, the company noted that its workforce has more than doubled in 2025 and that it intends to hire dozens of engineers over the coming year.

Located at Manassas Regional Airport (KHEF) just outside Washington, D.C., Electra has added a new 15,000-sq-ft hangar and 6,000 sq ft of office space to its existing 36,000-sq-ft facility. Meanwhile, the research and development center in Bleienbach has increased its footprint to 2,000 sq ft. At this facility, Electra’s Swiss subsidiary has been testing its hybrid-electric propulsion system using an iron bird.

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Electra

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