Bristow Signs Launch Agreement with Electra to Secure First Delivery Slot for EL9 Aircraft
- Companies sign industry-leading Pre-Delivery Payment (PDP) deposit agreement for fixed-delivery slots for five Electra EL9 Ultra Short aircraft, including the first delivery slot from Electra
- Bristow will deploy the EL9, which can take off and land in soccer field-sized spaces, to offer turnkey advanced air mobility (AAM) service solutions
- The multi-million-dollar PDP commitment deepens the Companies' longstanding partnership to deliver on the promise of Direct Aviation, a new era of accessible, point-to-point air mobility
- The PDPs for five EL9s converts Bristow's earlier pre-order Letter of Intent (LOI) into binding terms and conditions, subject to aircraft certification, aligned to the commercial aviation industry standard
- The Companies also agree on Bristow's options for another 45 aircraft on the same terms
MANASSAS, Va. and HOUSTON, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Electra.aero, Inc. (Electra), the aerospace company pioneering Direct Aviation, and Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE:VTOL), the global leader in innovative and sustainable vertical flight solutions, 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 nine 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.
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.
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.
"Bristow has a long and respected track record of safely operating complex missions in some of the most demanding environments on earth," said Marc Allen, CEO of Electra. "We are proud to welcome Bristow as an EL9 Launch Customer. By reserving five delivery slots in the EL9's first year of production, to include slot one, they have made a powerful statement of confidence in Electra, our EL9 aircraft, and the future of Direct Aviation. We could not imagine a stronger or more capable partner to lead the introduction of this transformative mode of advanced air mobility that will give communities, travelers, and airlines access to fast, flexible, and sustainable transportation."
"Electra's EL9 fundamentally changes what regional air mobility can be," said Dave Stepanek, Bristow Executive Vice President, Chief Transformation Officer. "Its ultra-short performance, quiet operation, and lower operating costs create opportunities that simply do not exist with today's aircraft. Securing delivery slot one and reserving delivery slots in the first year of production ensures Bristow will lead this new industry and bring advanced air mobility capabilities to our customers first. We are confident that with this order we will extend our legacy of innovation and deliver new levels of access, speed, and sustainability to our customers across the many markets we serve."
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.
About Electra
Electra.aero, Inc. (Electra) is an advanced aerospace company building hybrid-electric Ultra Short airplanes that achieve unprecedented performance advantages to fly people and cargo seamlessly without airports, emissions, or noise. With the EL9 Ultra Short, Electra is pioneering Direct Aviation, the next level of connectivity that brings air travel closer to where we live, work, and play. Electra's Ultra Short technology delivers 2.5x the payload and 10x longer range with 70% lower operating costs than helicopters and eVTOLs with significantly greater safety and far less certification risk.
Electra's team includes some of the most respected and successful entrepreneurs and engineers in novel aircraft design, with over 40 prior aircraft successfully developed and/or certified. Lockheed Martin Ventures, Honeywell, and Safran are among Electra's strategic investors along with Prysm Capital, Statkraft Ventures (Norway's sovereign fund), the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), and other private investors. Electra's contracted customers include NASA, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Navy, along with over 2,200 letters of intent from 60+ commercial customers, including both airlines and helicopter operators.
About Bristow Group
Bristow is the leading global provider of innovative and sustainable vertical flight solutions. Bristow primarily provides aviation services to a broad base of offshore energy companies and government entities. The Company's aviation services include personnel transportation, search and rescue ("SAR"), medevac, fixed-wing transportation, unmanned systems and ad hoc helicopter services. Bristow's business is comprised of three operating segments: Offshore Energy Services, Government Services and Other Services. The Company's energy customers charter its helicopters primarily to transport personnel to, from and between onshore bases and offshore production platforms, drilling rigs and other installations. Bristow's government customers primarily outsource SAR activities whereby the Company operates specialized helicopters and provides highly trained personnel. The Company's other services include fixed-wing transportation services through a regional airline in Australia and dry-leasing aircraft to third-party operators in support of other industries and geographic markets.
Bristow currently has customers in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Dutch Caribbean, the Falkland Islands, Ireland, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Spain, Suriname, Trinidad, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (U.S.).
Investors
Bristow Group Inc.
Jennifer Whalen
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SOURCE Bristow Group