Ampaire has been extending flight testing of its hybrid-electric technology demonstrator aircraft, Alaska being the latest destination. This week, the company reported that as part of a 3,400-mile series of flights starting in Southern California, where it is headquartered, its test aircraft landed at Fairbanks International Airport on August 13.
According to Ampaire, the flight was the first by a hybrid-electric aircraft in Alaska. It was also an international flight as the aircraft made stops in Canada, with a trip up the Pacific Coast made possible due to the deployment of multiple mobile electric aircraft chargers in Canada and the U.S.
The so-called Electric EEL aircraft, which is a converted Cessna 337 Skymaster, is permitted to fly under special airworthiness approvals from both the FAA and Transport Canada. According to Ampaire, this is the farthest north a hybrid-electric aircraft has ever flown.
French company VoltAero has also been using the Skymaster as the platform for its Cassio I hybrid-electric technology demonstrator. That aircraft has already made some international flights as part of work to develop a family of new-build Cassio aircraft that will use Safran's EngineUs electric propulsion system.
Los Angeles-based Ampaire was formed in 2016 and is working to secure a supplemental type certificate (STC) to convert existing aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan and the Twin Otter to use its AMP Drive hybrid-electric powertrain. The company said that the technology demonstrator is already achieving fuel cost savings of between 50 and 70 percent compared with the original Skymaster and maintenance cost reductions of between 25 and 50 percent. It is fitted with motors, inverters to turn the aircraft’s two sets of propellers, and high-powered electronics.
In November 2022, Ampaire made a first test flight in the prototype for its nine-passenger Eco Caravan model. The company has indicated that its propulsion technology could be further scaled to support the multiple new, as well as existing aircraft.
"Ampaire continues to make steady progress toward commercialization of its technology, including applying for an STC with the FAA," said the company's co-founder and CEO Kevin Noertker. "Throughout the summer, we have continued extensive flight testing, ground testing, and lab testing of our systems. In addition, we have continued development on the two power-classes of our AMP Drive hybrid electric powertrains. AMP Drives are applicable to a broad set of aircraft, including fixed-wing aircraft, drones, rotorcraft, and eVTOL."
The latest flight trial is being conducted in partnership with the Launch Alaska Portfolio, of which Ampaire is a member, having graduated from the group’s Tech Deployment Track. The project has support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
“To enable low-cost, low-carbon transportation, we need to commercialize electrified aircraft technologies and realize the full potential of regional airports,” said ARPA-E director Evelyn Wang. “If we rise to this challenge, we can connect Alaskans and all Americans to one another, transport goods, and provide services, including medical care. We can drive down the cost of travel and make it accessible for all communities.”
On the flight up to Alaska, the Ampaire crew had to navigate wildfire smoke, rain, and rugged terrain. The company has previously conducted flight trials in California, Hawaii, and the UK. On arrival in Fairbanks, the aircraft was met by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), along with other elected officials and representatives of local businesses and research institutes.
“This first-of-its-kind flight reflects the monumental progress we have made in electrified aviation, and we’re excited to continue deploying solutions that increase reliability, accessibility, and cost savings for communities around the globe,” Noertker said. “At the end of the day, these projects are all about people, creating jobs and economic growth, increasing connectivity while decreasing costs, benefiting communities, and building our future together.”
