Aviation News – RTX has successfully advanced its hybrid-electric flight demonstrator program, a project aimed at transforming regional aviation by pairing thermal engines with electric motors to significantly reduce fuel consumption.
The project represents a collaborative effort supported by the Canadian federal government, the provincial government of Quebec, and a broad consortium of industry and academic partners. At its core, the initiative showcases RTX’s company-wide commitment to sustainable innovation. The demonstrator integrates a highly efficient thermal engine from Pratt & Whitney Canada with a powerful 1-megawatt electric motor from Collins Aerospace. The system is powered by a 200-kilowatt-hour battery system developed by the startup H55, which is backed by RTX Ventures.
By utilizing a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 experimental aircraft as the testbed, the team is working to validate the integration of these advanced propulsion technologies. The project has already achieved significant milestones, including successful end-to-end ground testing of the integrated system and batteries. This phase confirms that the hybrid architecture can successfully manage power delivery and coordination between the thermal and electrical components, setting the stage for future flight demonstrations.
The hybrid-electric system operates by optimizing power sources according to the flight phase. The thermal engine handles the cruise portion of the flight, while the electric motor provides essential support during high-power-demand phases such as takeoff and climb, as well as during taxiing. This dual-source approach allows for a projected 30% improvement in fuel efficiency and a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the most advanced regional turboprops currently in service.
