Electra plans $850 million Ohio factory for aircraft production

Electra said it will invest $850 million to build a production facility in Springfield, Ohio, a move that would shift the Manassas, Virginia-based startup from aircraft development toward industrial-scale manufacturing. The plant is expected to create 1,975 jobs at AirPark Ohio, next to Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport.

Electra says it is building the EL9, a nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft designed to take off and land in 150 feet. In company materials and job postings, the startup says the aircraft is aimed at affordable air travel without airports, emissions or noise, a concept it calls Direct Aviation. A posted Flight Test Engineer role says Electra is working toward FAA Part 23 type certification, and company-linked material says a full-scale, nine-seat demonstrator is scheduled to fly in 2026.

The Springfield decision followed a year-long competitive site search. A LinkedIn post attributed to Electra executive Nick DiChiara said the company reviewed 146 RFP submissions over 48 weeks, visited 22 sites in nine states, narrowed the field to six shortlisted locations and ended with three finalists before choosing Springfield. The plant location at AirPark Ohio puts the project in Clark County, in a region that has long tried to leverage its aviation identity and logistics access.

Ohio officials quickly elevated the announcement as a political and economic win. Gov. Mike DeWine called it major news for the Miami Valley, while Sen. Jon Husted welcomed Electra to the state. JobsOhio also promoted the project as a new advanced-production facility in Springfield, underscoring how state leaders want advanced manufacturing to translate into durable payrolls, supplier contracts and a deeper aerospace footprint.

Electra’s backers help explain why the project is drawing attention well beyond central Ohio. Company materials and job posts identify support from Honeywell Aerospace, Safran and Lockheed Martin, names that signal the startup is trying to bridge the gap between venture-backed aircraft development and the supplier networks that sustain commercial production. That matters in a sector where certification delays, tooling costs and slow customer adoption can overwhelm even well-funded programs.

For Ohio, the factory is a test of whether advanced manufacturing policy can do more than attract announcements. If Electra reaches certification milestones, builds the EL9 at scale and fills nearly 2,000 jobs, Springfield could become one of the clearest signs yet that the race to build the next generation of aviation hardware is moving from lab-scale prototypes to real industrial employment.