STOL Electric Aircraft: Delivering Critical Logistics, Medevac Services Under Tough Conditions

Electra.aero Inc. recently demonstrated the value of its hybrid-electric Ultra-STOL (short takeoff and landing) technology to provide critical military logistics support to areas that are impossible to reach with conventional fixed-wing aircraft and beyond the practical range of helicopters.

The company’s EL-2 “Goldfinch” (a scaled prototype of its EL-9, a nine-passenger hybrid-electric STOL transport) completed its participation in the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Future Flag 25-3 test event in Rome, N.Y., which took place in late August to early September.

Air Force Future Flag Exercise

Future Flag is an Air Force exercise intended to help accelerate the development and deployment of innovative technical capabilities. Multiple Air Force units were involved in the exercise, including the New York Air National Guard’s 174th Attack Wing, which supported the government-directed tests (GDTs) with personnel and technology resources.

Electra was the only industry participant to support this year’s event, during which the EL-2 participated in a series of GDTs and operational scenarios to evaluate Electra’s Ultra-STOL and hybrid-electric power-generation capabilities. The EL-2 flew alongside the New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing and the Connecticut Air National Guard’s 103rd Airlift Wing as part of an operational scenario.

1,000 Payload Pounds Over 1,000 Miles with No Recharge?

During the operation, Electra demonstrated how the smaller prototype’s more limited tactical airlift capabilities could be expected to scale to meet the requirements of the operational scenario the Air Force developed for the EL9 production aircraft. This includes the ability to carry a minimum of 1,000 pounds of payload 1,000 miles without recharging or refueling. The exercises also included a non-flight scenario that involved using the EL-2’s battery as a ground power source for a General Atomics MQ9 drone.  

“Working with our Air National Guard partners, the scenarios we executed are a concrete demonstration of how Ultra-STOL aircraft can augment existing platforms and fill an important gap in existing tactical airlift capabilities," said Donn Yates, Electra’s Vice President of Government Programs.  

He added, “From ground-based power to medical transport to forward resupply, our Ultra-STOL aircraft delivers an array of multi-mission applications that our warfighters need. We were thrilled to showcase them with our government partners during Future Flag 25-3.”