Hybrid electric plane is a 'glimpse into the future'

Electra's JP Stewart envisions a day when anyone can hop on a plane for a 50 mile trip to work or vacation.

The key is Electra's hybrid electric ultra-short plane, which can take off and land in 150 feet or less and travel up to 500 miles.

A test flight of the company's prototype out of North Philadelphia Airport landed at Tioga Marine Terminal and then took off again using just over 100 feet of tarmac.

Stewart, a senior vice president at Electra, says most passengers describe the sudden ascent as ''like being on an elevator.''