Goldfinch Takes Off and Lands in Under 150
Feet in Off-Runway Environment for DoD
Missions
*WATCH THE VIDEO*
MANASSAS, Va., July 18,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Electra.aero,
Inc. (Electra) a next-gen aerospace company committed to
decarbonizing aviation and opening new air transportation markets,
has successfully completed off-runway test flights of its EL-2
Goldfinch hybrid-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL)
technology demonstrator aircraft from a grass field near Electra's
facility in Manassas, VA. (VIDEO
LINK)
The flights demonstrate the eSTOL aircraft's effectiveness for
operating from austere fields smaller than 300 ft that are
minimally prepared. The aircraft flew a series of takeoffs and
landings from a grass area and demonstrated the maximum performance
climb-out of 32 degrees that would be used in many military
missions. It also required no charging infrastructure as the
batteries are charged in-flight by the hybrid propulsion
system.
The dual-use technology is ideally suited to serve as a small
highly fuel-efficient and cost-effective airlifter that supports
Agile Combat Employment and expeditionary missions while reducing
the operational energy footprint. Small, affordable,
runway-independent eSTOL aircraft could also alleviate demand on
larger, few-in-number, high performance fixed wing and rotorcraft
platforms in a contested logistics environment.
"The Electra eSTOL technologies increase the number of available
landing sites by orders of magnitude relative to traditional fixed
wing aircraft while providing for higher cruise speeds, lower
costs, and lower noise than vertical lift solutions. These first
flights from a field demonstrate the beginnings of this strong
capability that we will continue to develop," said JP Stewart,
Electra's Vice President and General Manager.
In addition to the grass operations, the test campaign included
acoustic data collection to validate the low-acoustic capabilities
of the eSTOL technologies. The aircraft achieved quiet operations
of under 55 decibels at 500 feet overflight, a sound level
comparable to human conversation. At typical cruise altitudes, the
aircraft will be inaudible over background noise. Later flights
will progress to even rougher and more confined areas as the test
program continues.
Electra is developing the production aircraft which will carry 9
passengers or 2,500 pounds of cargo up to 500 miles while still
providing the STOL, austere operations, and low-noise capabilities.
Aircraft certification and entry into commercial service under FAA
Part 23 regulations is targeted for 2028.
About Electra
Electra.aero, Inc. (Electra) is a
next-gen aerospace company leading the way in sustainable urban and
regional mobility. The company is building clean, hybrid-electric,
short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) airplanes that fly people and
cargo quieter, further, and more affordably. Electra's technology
delivers 2.5x the payload and 10X longer range with 70% lower
operating costs than vertical takeoff alternatives with far less
certification risk. Electra's team includes some of the most
respected and successful entrepreneurs and engineers in novel
aircraft design, with over 40 prior aircraft successfully developed
and/or certified. Its technology development is supported by
Lockheed Martin Ventures, the Virginia Innovation Partnership
Corporation (VIPC), Statkraft Ventures, and other private investors
in addition to contracts with NASA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S.
Army, and the U.S. Navy.
Investors
Diana Siegel
investors@electra.aero
Media
Barbara Zadina
Zadina.barbara@electra.aero
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/electras-hybrid-estol-aircraft-aces-first-grass-field-test-flights-302200856.html
SOURCE Electra.aero