Bristow Group and hybrid-electric aircraft developer Electra have signed a contract with Avinor and the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority to conduct demonstration flights of Electra’s Ultra Short aircraft in Norway, with test operations aimed to commence in mid-2027.
The project is the second international test program under Norway’s government-backed test arena for zero- and low-emission aviation. Testing will be carried out in phases, progressing from operations at smaller airports in Northern Norway to trials from novel access points such as parking lots, drone pads and fields, and finally to operations feeding into a major Norwegian aviation hub. The program is expected to take approximately six months once operations begin.
Electra’s hybrid-electric aircraft is designed to take off and land in as little as 50m (164ft), enabling operations from sites the size of a football pitch. The nine-passenger EL9 is intended to connect remote communities with regional centers by flying directly across terrain and waterways that make surface travel slow and inefficient.
The demonstration flights will focus on several use cases, including integration of ultra-short operations at existing short runways, the use of novel access points to support unserved or underserved communities, and the ability to feed services into major hub airports without adding congestion.
“With over 75 years of operating experience, Bristow knows what it takes to turn promising technology into practical operations,” said Dave Stepanek, executive vice president and chief transformation officer at Bristow. “The aircraft’s ultra-short takeoff and landing capability creates exciting possibilities, and our role is to help validate how that aircraft can perform safely and effectively in real-world conditions.”
Diana Siegel, vice president of commercial programs at Electra, said: “Realizing that potential requires the right ecosystem. Partnering with Bristow, Avinor and the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority brings together operations, infrastructure and regulation to demonstrate novel operations at both existing airfields and new access points.”
Norwegian transport minister Jon-Ivar Nygard said the test arena was an important instrument in preparing aviation for new technologies, adding: “In a long and sparsely populated country like Norway, where aviation is essential for regional mobility and accessibility, it is particularly important to gain knowledge about how new solutions can be introduced in a safe and responsible manner when the technology is mature.”
The contract signing was held at Trondheim Airport, Vaernes. In January 2026, Electra and Bristow signed a pre-delivery payment deposit agreement securing the first delivery slot for the EL9 aircraft. Electra is backed by Statkraft Ventures, the investment arm of Europe’s largest renewable energy producer.
