An aircraft powered by a megawatt-class hybrid-electric engine developed in collaboration with NASA and built by GE Aerospace, demonstrated in flight an innovation that can inform new generations of fuel-efficient aircraft power systems.

Mounted on a Saab 340B aircraft, the engine flew at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom. It was the public debut of a system that in recent months has made historic test flights, becoming the first hybrid electric-powered aircraft to fly above 30,000 feet.

“This achievement reflects what NASA does best in aeronautics: We explore bold possibilities, validate them through rigorous research and testing, and work with industry to turn innovative ideas into technologies that deliver real value to the American people,” said Laurie Grindle, director of the Aeronautics Division within the agency’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The tests leveraged work done through NASA’s former Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration Project and the agency’s ongoing Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools project—years of collaborative research that included key tests at NASA test facilities.

The engine integrates electric motors, a gas turbine and energy storage capabilities. It was designed to demonstrate the ability to power an aircraft the size of a regional-class aircraft, reducing fuel consumption and costs without sacrificing performance. The unit’s technology and designs are expected to be used to help develop future hybrid systems that could reduce airlines’ operating costs.

The demonstration flight came after years of rapid development of the technology. For NASA, it also validates work that dates back to a time when hybrid aviation propulsion seemed almost beyond the horizon of possibility.

LAURIE A. GRINDLE

Director of the Aeronautics Division within the agency’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate

“This is the culmination of more than 15 years of work, and we did it because it will have an impact for airplanes that will help reduce energy use and help businesses and the American public,” said Ralph Jansen, an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. “It’s about having a vision that no one believes can happen and then working to define and execute the research and development necessary to make it a reality.”

This achievement was made possible by the collaborative efforts of hundreds of people working on electrified powertrain flight demonstration projects and subsonic vehicle technologies and tools at NASA centers, in conjunction with GE Aerospace and its partner companies.

In recent years, aviation has seen a boom in the use of small aircraft and drones powered by battery-powered electric systems. But large passenger and cargo aircraft require complex engines capable of delivering enormous amounts of power. So more than a decade ago, when NASA began contemplating hybrid systems, the mere possibility of using electric motors to supplement some power was a daunting engineering challenge.

NASA spent about seven years conducting preliminary research, working with small businesses and other partners to consider technological hurdles and the potential commercial viability of hybrid systems. During that time, the agency addressed several barriers to implementation, including power, thermal and battery technology, and aircraft, engine and power system integration.

Through the agency’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration Award, GE Aerospace and NASA worked with researchers to develop lighter, more efficient power systems and shrink key components, sometimes dramatically.

NASA and GE Aerospace also took advantage of the agency’s facilities and resources to advance their research. In 2022, GE Aerospace tested an integrated version of its propulsion system on NASA’s Electric Aircraft Testbed at the agency’s Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. The tests allowed the system to operate in conditions simulating 45,000 feet altitude, the range at which single-aisle commercial airliners fly.

The team added components, including electric motors, power converters, propellers and a commercial engine from GE Aerospace, followed by more ground testing and eventual flight testing. For researchers who had spent years on the concept, seeing the engine that powered a plane in flight was an important step in a long journey.

“I have to say I was very moved to see him fly. It was just incredible,” Jansen said. “It’s like a normal airplane, which is probably the best thing about it.”

NASA’s current support for this research is through the Aeronautics Division of its Research and Technology Mission Directorate.