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March 29, 2024
Raytheon Completes First Engine Run of Regional Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator
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Raytheon Technologies announced today the successful first engine run of the company’s regional hybrid-electric flight demonstrator, marking a key milestone towards flight testing, targeted to begin in 2024.

The propulsion system’s initial run occurred at Pratt & Whitney’s innovation facility in Longueuil, Quebec, and performed as expected. The system integrates a 1 MW electric motor developed by Collins Aerospace with a Pratt & Whitney fuel-burning engine specially adapted for hybrid-electric operations. This powerplant technology enables more efficient engine performance during the different phases of flight, such as take-off, climb, and cruise, reducing fuel burn and CO2 emissions by up to 30% compared to today’s most advanced regional turboprop aircraft.

Hybrid-electric propulsion technology offers significant potential to optimize efficiency across a range of different aircraft applications, helping our industry meet its ambitious goal for achieving net zero CO2 emissions,” said Jean Thomassin, executive director of new products and services, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “With our ground test program now well underway, planned flight testing will enable us to accelerate the demonstration of this next-generation sustainable propulsion technology as we continue to expand our collaboration within Canada’s aerospace ecosystem and beyond.”

Flight Test Centre of Excellence will modify and operate a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 aircraft, serving as the platform for future flight demonstrations.

H55

We are honoured that Raytheon Technologies has chosen our Design Approval Organization to lead the flight test program for this historic demonstrator project,” said John Maris, 3C president, and chief test pilot. “3C has assembled a trusted Quebec team that includes Chrono Aviation, WAAS Aerospace, and Elisen & associés to integrate the hybrid-electric powertrain, battery system, and high voltage electrical harness into 3C’s Dash 8 research aircraft. I am confident that 3C’s extensive flight test experience and historical relationship with Transport Canada will complement Raytheon Technologies’ outstanding team to safely demonstrate this important technological advance.”

Since Raytheon Technologies launched the demonstrator project via its Pratt & Whitney Canada and Collins Aerospace businesses in July 2021, supported by the Governments of Canada and Quebec, numerous organizations in Canada and worldwide joined the initiative.

H55 S.A., recently the subject of a minority investment by Raytheon Technologies’ venture capital arm, RTX Ventures, will supply battery systems. The National Research Council of Canada and the Innovative Vehicle Institute will also support the development of battery component designs and associated electrical control systems. Ricardo PLC supports the project with component design, system integration, and testing. De Havilland Canada supports the propulsion system’s integration on the experimental aircraft.

Raytheon Technologies is leading the development of hybrid-electric propulsion technologies across multiple demonstrator programs, including STEP-Tech and SWITCH, spanning a wide range of potential future aircraft applications. Alongside continually advancing the efficiency of aircraft propulsion systems, the company is also developing technologies to support greater use of cleaner, alternative fuels, including Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) and hydrogen, each of which will benefit from the increased efficiencies enabled by hybrid-electric propulsion technology. 

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Co-Founder AirInsight. My previous life includes stints at Shell South Africa, CIC Research, and PA Consulting. Got bitten by the aviation bug and ended up an Avgeek. Then the data bug got me, making me a curious Avgeek seeking data-driven logic. Also, I appreciate conversations with smart people from whom I learn so much. Summary: I am very fortunate to work with and converse with great people.

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