Electra.aero, Inc., a pioneering developer of sustainable aircraft, and Yugo, Asia's fast-growing private air mobility platform, have partnered to dramatically expand air mobility services to urban and underserved destinations in the Asia-Pacific region by leveraging the performance and cost advantages of Electra's hybrid-electric, ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft.
Yugo is a private aviation digital platform based in Singapore that offers global on-demand bookings of charter flights of private jets and helicopters, with a focus on Asia-Pacific. Yugo provides its userbase and members with access to an extensive network of hundreds of aircraft, from light jets such as the Cessna Citation to longer range jets like the Gulfstream G650ER.
Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Yugo intends to acquire up to 12 Electra eSTOL aircraft for use in Yugo's current and future envisioned air mobility network in Asia-Pacific and elsewhere to enable fast and frictionless high-speed transportation services for passengers and potentially also cargo. The two companies will jointly pursue urban and regional markets to be served by Yugo's network capitalizing on the eSTOL airplane's ultra-short takeoff and landing capability. They will also collaborate on eSTOL performance, economics, and passenger experience elements necessary to achieve Yugo's projected operations.
Electra is developing sustainable hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft that will enable people and cargo to transit more rapidly, safely, and affordably within urban and regional networks. The plane's ability to take off and land in spaces as small as 300x100 feet, with in-flight battery recharging, enables flight operations from places previously inaccessible by flight including parking lots and remote landing strips. The piloted fixed-wing aircraft will initially carry up to nine passengers or 1800 pounds of cargo up to 500 miles in all weather conditions, with less fuel burn and emissions per passenger than a personal car. With the Yugo MOU, Electra now has commitments covering nearly 300 aircraft orders from partners in North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.
"We are thrilled to work with Electra to deliver cleaner and cost-effective aviation in Asia-Pacific. Yugo is committed to providing convenient, safe, and efficient urban and regional air mobility services to our members and customers," said Jim Baldy, CEO of Yugo. "With Electra's versatile and sustainable eSTOL aircraft, we will be able to provide our business and tourism customers unparalleled flight solutions and expand our service to previously underserved or inaccessible locations, while also protecting fragile environments.''
"Advanced air mobility holds exciting promise to meet the transportation challenges of the Asia-Pacific region, with its densely populated cities and dispersed island communities amid the fastest-growing economy in the world," noted John S. Langford, founder and CEO of Electra.aero. "Our airplane's ability to take off and land in small spaces means we can fly more people faster, quieter, and more affordably to more diverse destinations while achieving lower emissions and reduced operating costs. Electra is delighted to partner with Yugo to bring the benefits of our eSTOL technology to this dynamic market."
