Wright Electric has started ground-testing the electric propulsion system it is developing for aircraft in the 100-seat class. The company announced on April 25 that engineers have begun development work with its Wright Electric Aircraft Engine Test Cell (WEAETC) at its headquarters in Albany, New York.
The new test cell will evaluate the 2-megawatt Wright 1A motor with both a Lycoming LF507-F turbofan and a propeller from a C-130 military aircraft. In a second phase of ground testing, the company will start work on the 2.5MW WM2500 motor, featuring an integrated custom drive, that is being developed with backing from the U.S. government’s ARPA-E Ascend program.
Wright’s founder and CEO Jeffrey Engler told AIN that his team is focusing on the LF507 engine because this is the powerplant for the existing BAe 146 family of regional airliners that the company sees as suitable for conversion to electric propulsion. It also sees potential to electrify the widely-used C-130 military logistics aircraft.
Ground tests with the WEAETC unit are intended to evaluate the electrical output from the 1A and WM2500 motors and establish their ability to convert torque into thrust. This testing could continue for a year or more as preparations for taxi and flight tests with an aircraft are made. The WEAETC will have further applications as Wright advances future iterations of its propulsion system and new battery technology.
“Using a proven fan module significantly reduces the risk of the test campaign and lets us directly compare the acoustic profile and thermal signature of the electric propulsion unit and its classical turbofan version,” said Peter Kurowski, Wright’s propulsion lead. “The successful ground test campaign will open the door to a flight test.”
Wright recently tested its electric motor to over 1MW and is now preparing to conduct altitude testing using the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed. The company is aiming to support zero-carbon commercial operations with increasingly large single-aisle airliners for sectors of up to 800 miles, while also delivering improved operating costs and lower noise.
The company is now in discussions with prospective partners to confirm arrangements for flight testing. In addition to ARPA-E, its partners already include aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul providers CFS Aero, Avalon Aero, and Executive Jet.