Electra.aero is a Manassas, Virginia aerospace company building the EL9, a nine-passenger hybrid-electric 'Ultra Short' aircraft that takes off and lands in about 150 feet - roughly a soccer field - without conventional runways, charging stations, or the noise of a normal airplane. Using blown-lift aerodynamics and eight electric motors, it aims to open regional and community air travel from grass strips and small airfields while cutting emissions, with FAA Part 23 certification targeted for 2029.
Marc Allen is the CEO of Electra.aero, a Manassas, Virginia startup building the EL9, a nine-seat hybrid-electric ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft that can lift off in roughly 150 feet of runway. A Yale Law graduate and former U.S. Supreme Court clerk who spent 17 years at Boeing - including stints as Chief Strategy Officer, President of Boeing International, and Chairman of Wisk Aero - Allen left the world's largest aerospace company in August 2024 to run a startup chasing what he calls 'Direct Aviation': air travel without airports, emissions, or noise. Under his watch Electra has stacked up roughly 2,200 pre-orders worth nearly $9 billion and closed a $115 million Series B.