Electra to Invest 0 Million in New Aircraft Production Facility in Springfield, Ohio

Electra to Invest $850 Million in New Aircraft Production Facility in Springfield, Ohio

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Mike DeWine and local leaders gathered in Springfield on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, to celebrate the establishment of a new Electra production facility. The Virginia-based aerospace company is investing $850 million to build a manufacturing plant for the EL9 Ultra Short, a hybrid-electric aircraft capable of landing on runways as short as 150 feet.

By placing its first production facility and corporate headquarters in Clark County, Electra is attempting to bridge the gap between traditional regional aviation and the urban air mobility dreams of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. For Springfield, it represents a massive economic pivot, bringing nearly 2,000 new jobs to a region that has historically defined itself through the rise and fall of heavy manufacturing.

A $850 Million Bet on Clark County

The scale of the investment is significant enough for the state to classify it as a “mega-project.” According to official project details, the total cost is estimated at $850 million, with $680 million dedicated to construction and business fixtures and $170 million earmarked for machinery and equipment. The physical footprint is equally imposing: one million square feet of manufacturing space spread across 87 acres in the Green Twp. JEDD.

The financial architecture of the deal relies on a complex web of local and state incentives designed to lower the barrier for entry. The city of Springfield approved a seven-year employment incentive agreement, sharing 50% of the taxes generated within the joint economic development district at the Springfield AirPark. Clark County commissioners approved a Community Reinvestment Area, granting Electra a 100% property tax exemption for 30 years to facilitate the build and the relocation of its corporate headquarters.

To ensure the surrounding community isn’t left behind by these exemptions, compensation agreements were established. The township, Greenon Local School District, and the Clark County Career Center will each receive 25% of the real property tax revenue they would have otherwise collected.

The human impact is measured in payroll and employment. Electra estimates the facility will create up to 1,975 jobs, injecting approximately $181 million into the local economy through payroll.

From Industrial Hub to Aviation Focal Point

The choice of Springfield is a nod to both history and modern infrastructure. Ohio Sen. Kyle Koehler noted that at the turn of the last century, Springfield was one of the world’s largest manufacturing towns because it served as a terminal point for those traveling west. While that era faded, the current project uses the National Advanced Air Mobility Center of Excellence (NAAMCE) to restart the engine.

“We’ve been through some hard times. The road ended here. Things got stale, but with what’s happening here, it doesn’t matter whether the road ends anymore. It only has to be 150 feet long, and we’re going to fly.”

The technology itself—the EL9 Ultra Short—aims to solve a primary pain point in aviation: infrastructure. Traditional aircraft require massive, expensive runways. The EL9’s ability to operate from extremely short strips, or even helipads, as demonstrated in a video by CEO Marc Allen showing a landing at a Manhattan pier, allows it to bypass the need for major airport hubs.

The Economic Trade-off

The goal here is to shift Springfield from a town that was a manufacturing giant to one that is the focal point for the next generation of aviation.

Electra glide ultra classic purple fire indian springfield

The timeline of this development moved from a July announcement at the Farnborough International Airshow to this formal proclamation signing in October. The project now moves from the celebration phase to the construction phase, with the local workforce expected to be the backbone of the operation.

The success of the Electra facility depends on the EL9 aircraft, which is designed to operate from extremely short runways.

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