P&WC Steps into Next Phase of Hybrid-electric Testing

Pratt & Whitney Canada is entering the next phase for its RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator project with the launch of ground testing on the flight-standard propulsion system and propeller in Longueuil, Quebec. Once complete, the system will be installed on a de Havilland Dash 8-100 experimental aircraft for flight tests beginning in 2027.

“Assembling the final flight-standard propulsion system brings us one step closer to proving hybrid-electric technology in flight,” said Jean Thomassin, executive director of new products and services introduction for Pratt & Whitney Canada. “We are advancing thermal range and hybrid-electric technologies, which could enhance fuel efficiency and performance for a wide range of future aircraft applications.”

The propulsion system combines a Pratt & Whitney Canada thermal engine with a one-megawatt electric motor and motor controller developed by its sister company at RTX, Collins Aerospace. Swiss-based H55 is supplying the battery system.

The electric motor will boost power during demanding flight phases such as takeoff and climb. Pratt & Whitney Canada is targeting a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency for a typical 250-nm regional turboprop.

Supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec, the Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator project also involves collaborations with several aerospace companies and Canadian research institutes, including De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, GKN Aerospace, AeroTec, Ricardo, the National Research Council of Canada, and the Innovative Vehicle Institute.