Helsinki and Electra Evaluate Hybrid-electric Short Flight Connections | Aviation International News

Helsinki Evaluates Hybrid-electric Flight Connections

City officials and a local university are working with manufacturer Electra

Electra's nine-passenger EL9 Ultra Short

By Charles Alcock • Managing Editor

August 28, 2026

Finland’s capital, Helsinki, is taking the lead in a study to evaluate options for new regional air services through a partnership with U.S. start-up Electra, which is developing the nine-passenger EL9 Ultra Short hybrid-electric aircraft. On August 27, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with city officials and Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences to explore new ways to connect communities across the Gulf of Finland.

Part of the study will assess the business case and infrastructure needs for flights between Helsinki and the Estonian capital Tallinn, which is just 50 miles away but currently requires a two-hour ferry sailing or time-consuming connections through international airports. The organizations will consider how the EL9, which can operate from 100-foot strips, could more efficiently connect these cities through services that Electra describes as Direct Aviation.

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