- NASA and GE Aerospace have completed a test flight of a Saab 340B aircraft mounted with a megawatt-class hybrid-electric engine
- The vehicle is the first hybrid electric-powered aircraft to fly higher than 30,000 feet
- The engine runs on a combination of electric motors, energy storage and a gas turbine
NASA and GE Aerospace have completed a flight demonstration of a megawatt-class hybrid-electric engine, marking a milestone in a research partnership aimed at developing more fuel-efficient propulsion systems for future aircraft, the space agency said Monday.
The engine was mounted to a modified Saab 340B aircraft and flown publicly at the Farnborough International Air Show in the U.K. The demonstration follows a series of recent test flights in which the system became the first hybrid electric-powered plane to fly above 30,000 feet.
“This is the culmination of more than 15 years of work, and we did that because it’s going to have an impact for aircraft that will help reduce energy use and help U.S. companies and the public,” said Ralph Jansen, aerospace engineer at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. He added that the aircraft flew “just like a regular plane, which is probably the best thing of all.”
What Is the Foundation of the Engine’s Development?
The work builds on NASA’s former Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration project and its ongoing Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools effort, both of which supported research across multiple NASA centers in coordination with GE Aerospace and its partner companies, including Boeing and BETA Technologies.
The team developed a hybrid-electric engine that combines electric motors, a gas turbine and energy storage systems. It was built to demonstrate the ability to power an aircraft roughly the size of a regional jet while cutting fuel consumption and operating costs without compromising performance. NASA said the technology and design principles behind the engine are expected to inform future hybrid propulsion systems that could help airlines reduce costs.
What Previous Tests Were Conducted Prior to the Flight Demo?
Before coming up with the engine’s design, NASA had to address certain challenges such as battery technology and power system integration. The Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration award enabled the agency and GE Aerospace to reduce the size of key components while increasing the efficiency of the power systems.
In 2022, an integrated version of GE Aerospace’s propulsion system was tested at NASA’s Electric Aircraft Testbed, located at the agency’s Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. The testing simulated conditions at approximately 45,000 feet — the altitude range typically used by commercial single-aisle aircraft.
Engineers subsequently added components including power converters, electric motors, propellers and a GE Aerospace commercial engine before advancing to ground and flight testing.
