Team Ohio Welcomes Electra

(SPRINGFIELD, Ohio)- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, JobsOhio, the Dayton Development Coalition and the Springfield community gathered this afternoon to celebrate Electra's commitment to create nearly 2,000 new jobs in Clark County.

Governor DeWine, Electra CEO Marc Allen and JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef first announced that Electra selected Springfield as the location of its first EL9 Ultra Short aircraft production facility at the Farnborough International Airshow in England in July. The EL9 Ultra Short is a nine-passenger, fixed-wing aircraft that uses hybrid-electric propulsion and blown-lift technology to take off and land in as little as 150 feet.

During a special event today at the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport, Governor DeWine signed a proclamation to officially welcome Electra to the Miami Valley.

"Electra's mission aligns perfectly with the long-standing regional strategy to create the national epicenter of advanced air mobility in Springfield," said Governor DeWine. "The Miami Valley offers aviation and aerospace companies a combination of assets found nowhere else in the country."

Electra's $850 million investment in Clark County will create 1,975 new jobs and marks a major milestone for the future of aviation and aerospace. The new facility will be located at AirPark Ohio, adjacent to Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport.

"Hybrid-electric flight will define aviation's next era, and Springfield will be the home for building it," Allen said. "The region offers the skilled people, aerospace expertise, and infrastructure needed to make Direct Aviation a reality. As we move from design to manufacturing at scale, we have the opportunity to expand the aerospace workforce and strengthen the supplier ecosystem. We are excited to work with Governor DeWine, JobsOhio, the Dayton Development Coalition and all our local partners to showcase a new way to travel that takes people closer to where they want to go."

"Today's proclamation formally welcomes Electra to the Miami Valley, where years of collaboration have made Ohio a national hub for advanced air mobility and the ideal place to build the EL9 Ultra Short at scale," Nauseef said. "Co-located with the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence and its AAM assets, a proven aerospace workforce, and the research strength of nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio has the resources Electra requires to innovate and grow for decades to come."

"Back in July, Electra announced plans to establish its first production facility for the EL9 Ultra Short just across the runway at a site in Airpark Ohio. The announcement made global headlines from the Farnborough Air Show in England, and we wanted to bring some of that excitement back to Ohio. Today, Electra will formalize its commitment and give us a chance to celebrate together," said Dayton Development Coalition President and CEO Jeff Hoagland.

Electra selected the Springfield site following a year-long competitive national site-selection process that evaluated more than 140 potential locations. JobsOhio is assisting the project with a $10 million Aerospace and Defense Opportunity Grant and a $110 million JobsOhio grant. The project will also be supported through the JobsOhio Talent Acquisition Services program, which identifies companies' workforce needs and builds tailored strategies to help attract, develop and retain talent.

The EL9 Ultra Short will help meet demand for "Direct Aviation," a new category of accessible, point-to-point air mobility using novel access points such as parking lots, barges, and sports fields.

Design work on the new 96-acre facility is underway, with construction expected to start next year. The first phase of development will support production of up to 400 aircraft per year, with a second phase planned to expand capacity to up to 800 aircraft per year.