The RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator project has reached a new milestone, according to Pratt & Whitney Canada, which tested the batteries and integrated propulsion system to full capacity. While the hybrid-electric propulsion system is still being tested on the ground in Longueuil, Quebec, Pratt & Whitney Canada has chosen AeroTEC to assist with upcoming flight testing of the experimental De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 aircraft. The company Pratt & Whitney is an RTX.
The latest end-to-end test is the first time the propulsion system, which consists of a 1 megawatt (MW) electric motor created by RTX company Collins Aerospace and a highly efficient Pratt & Whitney Canada thermal engine, has operated on batteries. The high-voltage Mobile Charging Unit, which was jointly developed by Pratt & Whitney Canada, the National Research Council of Canada, and the Innovative Vehicle Institute, has also been successfully used to charge and discharge the 200 kWh batteries that were provided by H55 S.A. RTX Ventures, RTX’s venture financing division, provides support for H55.
“Performing end-to-end tests of our pioneering hybrid-electric propulsion system and batteries marks another critical milestone toward our goal of demonstrating this promising technology in flight,” stated Jean Thomassin, executive director, new products and services introduction, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “Ultimately, we are targeting up to 30% improved fuel efficiency compared to today’s regional turboprops, and insights from this project are also helping us advance the development of hybrid-electric technology to address multiple future platforms.”
Joining AeroTEC is De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, which is supplying the Dash 8-100 experimental aircraft with essential baseline data and engineering know-how. GKN Aerospace, which is supplying high-voltage electrical wiring and connecting systems, and Ricardo, which is assisting with the development of the hybrid-electric propulsion system, are further program partners.
“AeroTEC’s mission is to accelerate the evolution of aerospace, and our collaboration with Pratt & Whitney Canada on the RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator project is a clear example of that commitment,” stated Justin Morigeau, president, AeroTEC. “In our role leading the modification and flight testing of the experimental aircraft, we’re proud to support the demonstration of cutting-edge technologies that will define the future of sustainable flight.”
Hybrid-electric propulsion is a core part of RTX’s technology roadmap for improving fuel efficiency and performance in future aircraft, leveraging the industry-leading aircraft propulsion and electrical systems expertise of Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace, respectively. The two RTX businesses are collaborating on a range of technology demonstrator projects, including the Clean Aviation SWITCH project, which is developing a hybrid-electric Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine demonstrator.
