Electra announced a production agreement with Safran Helicopter Engines on Wednesday to manufacture TG600 turbogenerators for the company’s hybrid-electric aircraft program. The contract includes an initial order for 250 TG600 units, a volume intended to enable production to grow in step with customer demand for Electra’s nine-passenger EL9 Ultra Short model.
The EL9 is scheduled to attempt its first flight in late 2027 or early 2028, according to the timeline provided by the company. The aircraft remains in development and certification phases, with Electra targeting entry into commercial service in 2030. The Safran agreement expands a cooperation first disclosed in 2023 and is described as a component of ongoing development and certification work for the EL9.
The arrangement comes as advanced air mobility firms secure suppliers for key aircraft systems while pursuing regulatory approvals that must be in place before commercial operations can begin. Electra’s partnership with Safran, a specialist in helicopter engines and auxiliary power systems, is positioned as part of the supplier-base build-out required for certification and future production scaling.
Electra is backed by strategic investors including Lockheed Martin Ventures and Honeywell. Earlier this year the company was named to a U.S. pilot program alongside other electric vertical takeoff and landing developers, Archer and Joby. The pilot program aims to accelerate deployment of flying air taxis in U.S. airspace, and Electra’s selection aligns its certification path with broader regulatory engagement in the sector.
From a program-management perspective, the 250-unit initial order is framed as a way to align manufacturing capacity with anticipated demand for the EL9 rather than as a fixed production commitment beyond that initial quantity. The Safran deal therefore serves both development and industrial-readiness objectives as Electra moves toward the flight test and certification phases required ahead of a 2030 service entry.
While the agreement reinforces supplier continuity for a critical aircraft component, the company’s timeline and production scale remain tied to future certification milestones and market uptake. Electra’s path forward will depend on successful flight testing, regulatory clearances, and the ability to expand manufacturing in line with customer demand.