The project is supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec.
The RTX tested 1MW electric motor by Pratt & Whitney, will be part of a hybrid-electric propulsion system for demonstrating a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions.
RTX, a leading aerospace and defense company, has achieved a significant milestone in its hybrid-electric flight demonstrator program. The company successfully completed a rated power test of the program’s 1 megawatt (MW) electric motor, developed by Collins Aerospace, a business unit of RTX. This motor, along with a highly efficient thermal engine developed by Pratt & Whitney, will be part of a hybrid-electric propulsion system aimed at demonstrating a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions compared to current regional turboprops.
Compared to Collins’ most advanced electric motor generators currently in use, the 1MW motor offers four times the power, twice the voltage, half the heat loss, and half the weight. Collins is developing the motor at its facility in Solihull, United Kingdom, and conducting tests at the University of Nottingham’s Institute for Aerospace Technology.
Henry Brooks, President of Power & Controls, Collins Aerospace said, “With its industry-leading power density and efficiency, our 1MW motor will help to significantly reduce aircraft carbon emissions by supporting hybrid-electric propulsion architectures on the next generation of commercial platforms. As the motor’s development continues apace, each milestone brings us one step closer to hybrid-electric flight and our industry’s shared commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
Following the successful low-speed engine run in December 2022, the testing of the combined hybrid-electric propulsion system, including the thermal engine and 1MW motor, will continue throughout 2023. These components, along with batteries, will be integrated into a Dash 8-100 experimental aircraft, with flight testing scheduled to commence in 2024. The project is supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec.
In addition to its role in the hybrid-electric flight demonstrator, the 1MW motor will be incorporated into the Pratt & Whitney GTF hybrid-electric powertrain for the SWITCH project, part of the European Union’s Clean Aviation initiative. Future testing of the motor will take place at The Grid, an upcoming $50 million electric power systems lab at Collins’ Rockford, Illinois facility.
“Hybrid-electric propulsion technology offers significant potential to optimize aircraft efficiency across a range of future aircraft applications and is a key part of our technology roadmap for supporting more sustainable aviation,” said Jean Thomassin, executive director new products and services, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “Aside from leveraging the deep expertise of Pratt & Whitney and Collins engineers within RTX, our project draws from extensive collaborations across Canada’s aerospace ecosystem and around the world,” he further added.
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RTX’s achievements in developing and testing the 1MW motor bring us closer to realizing the potential of hybrid-electric propulsion in the aviation industry. With a strong focus on sustainability and collaboration, the company is playing a crucial role in advancing greener and more efficient aviation technologies.
