Electra announces new CFO

Electra.aero, a Manassas-based aviation startup, announced Tuesday that Max Ochoa has joined the company as chief financial officer.

In this role, Ochoa will lead the company’s finance and legal departments and focus on company growth.

“Max’s track record in scaling organizations and leading them through hyper-growth periods makes him an invaluable addition to our leadership team,” Electra CEO Marc Allen said in a statement. “He brings the expertise to help us navigate this critical phase by aligning our financial, legal and operational infrastructure with the ambitious milestones ahead.”

Electra announced in April that it had secured $115 million in Series B funding to enter the pre-production and certification phase of its nine-passenger EL9 Ultra Short model. The aircraft uses blown lift and hybrid-electric propulsion to take off and land in 150 feet — roughly 10% of the footprint required for similarly sized legacy airplanes.

The company says the EL9 allows commercial air operators to connect communities that lack traditional aviation infrastructure, fly into airports with strict noise restrictions and save travelers significant time.

The company surpassed 2,200 pre-orders for the EL9 aircraft in March.

“Electra is redefining air connectivity by tackling some of the most pressing challenges in aviation,” said Ochoa in a statement. “The EL9’s real-world utility and seamless integration into today’s existing ecosystem make it a truly compelling solution. I’m honored to join this talented team to help bring this transformative aircraft to market for both commercial and defense customers.”

Ochoa has more than 20 years of experience in finance, legal and operations roles at hardware and software technology companies. He was most recently CFO and general counsel at Satelles where he helped drive the acquisition by Iridium Satellite Communications. He has also previously held executive leadership roles at Alation, Turn, Adify and TiVo.

Ochoa has a juris doctor degree from Stanford Law School, a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Electra’s strategic investors include Lockheed Martin Ventures and Honeywell. Founded in 2020, the company has about 80 employees.