GKN Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney Canada are joining forces to develop the high-voltage, high-power electrical wiring interconnection system (EWIS) for the hybrid-electric flight demonstrator project led by Raytheon Technologies. The overall program seeks to achieve a 30 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and reduced carbon dioxide emissions compared with current regional airliners.
The propulsion system to be used for the demonstrator system combines a one-megawatt electric motor developed by Collins Aerospace with an as-yet-unspecified Pratt & Whitney engine. Both companies are part of the Raytheon Technologies group, and the project is based in Montreal.
A Netherlands-based GKN team is leading the work on the EWIS. After the design phase is complete, the company will be responsible for building the hardware and installing it on a demonstrator aircraft, which is expected to be ready to start flight testing in 2024. The tests are expected to use a Dash 8 twin turboprop aircraft as a flying test bed for the propulsion system.
GKN and several partners are also involved in the SWITCH hybrid-electric propulsion project, which is backed by the European Union’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking. The group is also involved in separate work to explore various options for hydrogen propulsion. It has also developed wiring systems for new eVTOL aircraft, including those being developed by Lilium and Vertical Aerospace.
