Electra and VertiPorts by Atlantic have announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will aim to assess infrastructure opportunities to bring Ultra Short aircraft operations closer to where people live and work.
Both companies will work together to explore how different forms of infrastructure (such as barges, piers or elevated surfaces) could potentially unlock Ultra Short operations at new and existing VertiPorts by Atlantic sites across New York City.
The MoU marks the first step in a wider collaboration that will explore opportunities for Ultra Short access points across multiple regions, and comes following Electra’s recent demonstration at Downtown Skyport in Lower Manhattan – allegedly marking the first time a fixed-wing aircraft without vertical takeoff capability has landed at the heliport.
Electra is currently working to advance Direct Aviation, a brand-new model of point-to-point regional travel that aims to complement an existing hub-and-spoke system with distributed access points closer to where journeys begin and end.
Diana Siegel, Vice President, Commercial Programs at Electra, said:The demand already exists for regional travel that is faster and more convenient, and Direct Aviation is about meeting that demand.
By assessing how new and existing VertiPorts by Atlantic sites could accommodate the EL9 Ultra Short, we are taking a step toward connecting New York City with communities across the region and showing what Direct Aviation has to offer.
