Is it a plane or a helicopter? Meet the bizarre new hybrid aircraft that can take off and land in just 150ft - and promises near-silent flights

Published: 05:16 EST, 13 November 2026 | Updated: 05:16 EST, 13 November 2026 Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Not quite – a radical new hybrid aircraft is hoping to change the way we travel, combining the convenience of a helicopter with the capabilities of a traditional aeroplane.The nine-seater Electra EL9 Ultra Short can take off and land in just 150ft, meaning it won’t need conventional airport runways to operate. It also promises near-silent flights thanks to its hybrid-electric technology.US-based aviation firm Electra is developing what it calls ‘direct aviation’ – a new approach to regional travel that could allow passengers to fly directly between destinations without relying on major airports.The company recently carried out a successful demonstration in New York City, in what is believed to be the first time a fixed-wing aircraft without vertical take-off capability has landed at the heliport.The ambitious project follows Electra’s analysis of nearly one billion trips, which identified 35 million passenger journeys every day over distances of between 50 and 500 miles. Electra will create EL9 Ultra Short planes, which can take off and land with just 150 feet of runway The nine-seater hybrid plane aims to improve ease of travel and connectivityThe study estimates potential time savings of approximately one hour and 45 minutes from New York City to Boston, three hours and 30 minutes from New York City to Washington, DC, and 45 minutes from New York City to Philadelphia - compared with driving. The plane meets the six requirements to become practical at scale: quiet operations, expanded access, uncompromising safety, meaningful payload (the total weight of what it carries), practical range and affordability. 'By delivering helicopter-like access with the safety benefits of fixed-wing flight, Electra is making regional air travel safer, quieter, and more accessible to people and communities,' the company says.Electra’s Direct Aviation Market Outlook projects that this new category of regional air service could carry one million passengers per day within its first decade of operations. Serving that demand will require an estimated 12,000 to 16,000 aircraft, supported by additional infrastructure.The aim is for commercial services to launch in 2030, according to CNN Travel. Test flights are underway, and the company aims to commence commercial journeys in 2030'Our nine-passenger EL9 Ultra Short is being built to take off and land in approximately 150 feet while still carrying meaningful payload over practical regional distances,' said Electra's CEO Marc Allen.'It combines hybrid-electric propulsion with blown-lift aerodynamics to achieve performance that changes where a fixed-wing airplane can operate. 'The EL9 is how we intend to put the capabilities of aviation’s third era to work at commercial scale.'It means aviation can begin to fit more naturally into the way people already live and travel.'