Electra test pilot Cody Allee conducted a series of takeoffs, landings, and low-speed maneuvers at the Downtown Skyport in Manhattan using the company’s fixed-wing EL2 demonstrator. [Credit: Jack Daleo]
Key Takeaways:
Electra's EL2 demonstrator aircraft successfully performed the first fixed-wing takeoffs and landings at Manhattan's Downtown Skyport (a heliport), showcasing its ultra-short takeoff and landing (USTOL) capabilities within approximately 100 feet.
This unprecedented maneuverability is due to the EL2's hybrid-electric propulsion and "blown-lift aerodynamics," enabling stable, low-speed flight at high angles of attack without stalling, along with low noise and high resilience.
The EL2 serves as a technology demonstrator for Electra's upcoming EL9 Ultra Short aircraft, which aims to provide "direct aviation" by offering nine-passenger capacity and helicopter-like access from unconventional urban or remote locations (e.g., heliports, parking lots) with the efficiency and affordability of a fixed-wing plane.
Downtown Manhattan’s piers and barges were not designed to accommodate airplanes. They are the domain of helicopters, whose vertical capabilities counteract the limited space.
But according to Electra CEO Marc Allen, Monday morning marked the “first time that a fixed-wing airplane has landed” at Manhattan’s Downtown Skyport (KJRB).
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
