MANASSAS, VA and HOUSTON, TX (By Electra, 21.Jan.2026, Words: 361) — Electra.aero, Inc., the aerospace company pioneering direct aviation, and Bristow Group Inc., signed a pre-delivery payment (PDP) deposit agreement with binding terms and conditions aligned to the commercial aviation industry standard, subject to aircraft certification, securing the first delivery slot for Electra’s EL9 Ultra Short hybrid-electric aircraft, capable of carrying 9 passengers with baggage or 3,000 pounds of cargo for 330 nautical miles, and has a maximum ferry range of 1,100 nautical miles with IFR reserves.
By securing the earliest EL9 deliveries with its PDP agreement, Bristow confirms the company’s leadership role in shaping the future of direct aviation, positioning itself to offer customers unprecedented point-to-point access, dramatically reduced travel times, and entirely new opportunities for regional mobility. Â
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Bristow and Electra have worked together for five years, starting with a pre-order agreement in 2021. The parties have now converted their pre-order LOI into a fixed agreement for five EL9 delivery slots, all to be delivered in the EL9’s first year of production. By reserving these early slots, Bristow has secured unmatched early access to an aircraft set to redefine how people and goods move.
The PDP agreement includes option rights for Bristow to another 45 aircraft at the same fixed terms.
Bristow plans to deploy the EL9 across turnkey mobility solutions for corporate customers, premier destinations and resorts, major and regional airlines, and government agencies operating essential public service routes.
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With more than seven decades of experience operating complex helicopter and fixed-wing missions for corporate and government customers around the world, Bristow has a proven history of integrating next-generation aviation technologies. The EL9 Ultra Short’s ability to take off and land in just 150 feet will allow Bristow to open new transportation options, strengthening airline networks and significantly reducing travel times.
Electra’s direct aviation model uses Ultra Short aircraft to unlock thousands of new Ultra Short access points – including fields, parking lots, and underutilized runways – bringing air travel closer to where people live, work, and play. By pairing practical infrastructure with transformative capability, direct aviation enables trips that were previously impractical or impossible and expands economic opportunity to communities of every size.
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