The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a series of hybrid-electric demonstration flights designed to test connections between smaller airports and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
The flights were conducted by Electra in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) as part of the FAA’s eVTOL Integration Pilot Programme (eIPP).
The demonstration route ran between Manassas, Virginia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with stops at Washington Manassas Airport, Millville Executive Airport in New Jersey, Atlantic City Bader Field, Northeast Philadelphia Airport and Philadelphia International Airport.
The flights are part of the US Department of Transportation’s work to assess how advanced air mobility aircraft can be incorporated safely into the US National Airspace System.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said:With every new test flight, the Department is gathering more of the data we need to enable the safe rollout of these next-generation aircraft. I'm thrilled to see the continued success of the Trump Administration's first-ever eVTOL pilot program and look forward to seeing more American innovators revolutionise the way people and products move.
The eIPP was established under the Trump administration’s Unleashing Drone Dominance executive order. The programme provides a framework for real-world testing of advanced aircraft and their integration into existing aviation infrastructure.
In March 2026, the Department of Transportation selected eight projects covering 26 states to participate in the eIPP. PennDOT is among the selected participants.
The FAA will use data from the demonstrations to identify gaps, refine procedures and support the integration of advanced air mobility aircraft into the National Airspace System.
Further test flights are planned by PennDOT and other eIPP participants during the remainder of 2026.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said:PennDOT’s mission is to help connect people to where they’re going, no matter how they choose to travel. The innovative technology being demonstrated this week has the potential to make air travel more convenient and accessible to our communities. PennDOT is proud to lead this multistate collaborative, working with FAA and our state partners.
