Electra.aero has submitted an application to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Part 23 type certification of its nine-passenger EL9 hybrid-electric Ultra Short aircraft.
Part 23 establishes the FAA's airworthiness standards for aircraft with 19 passengers or fewer and is the regulatory pathway for certifying small aircraft for commercial passenger and cargo operations.
Electra's submission includes FAA Form 8110-12, the Project Specific Certification Plan (PSCP), and the EL9 Aircraft Specification, outlining the company's proposed certification basis and approach to regulatory compliance.
The filing reflects several years of coordinated engagement between Electra and the FAA through the Emerging Technology Section of Policy and Standards, the company said.
"This certification application signals that the EL9 is fast becoming a reality and reflects the progress our team and the FAA have made together," said Electra CEO Marc Allen.
“The EL9 combines blown-lift with distributed electric propulsion to unlock air travel that takes people directly from where they are to where they want to go.”
The EL9 combines hybrid-electric propulsion architecture with Electra's blown-lift wing design, which channels airflow over the wing to generate increased lift.
This technology enables “reliable, quiet takeoffs and landings” from as little as 150 feet, the company said, opening thousands of potential Ultra Short access points.
In March this year, Electra announced that it has secured 2,200 pre-orders for the EL9 Ultra Short, valued at nearly $9bn. Electra's order pipeline is one of the largest in the advanced air mobility sector.