Among the news items that recently crossed our path is the news that Pratt & Whitney Canada – a self-proclaimed “global leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft, helicopter engines and auxiliary power units” – has signed an agreement with consulting firm Ricardo to to develop hybrid-electric aircraft technology.
Usually this is not the level or stage of development that we would cover, whether it be the electric space field, the electric car field, or the solar or wind field. However, it seemed to deserve a brief comment because of what it signals about the industry.
Both Ricardo and Pratt & Whitney Canada are large companies. That they are working together to tackle hybrid-electric space solutions is an indication that the future of space travel is… hybrid-electric powertrains, then increasingly all-electric powertrains.
Here’s a little more about it The news“With the multi-year agreement, the Ricardo aerospace engineering team will support Pratt & Whitney Canada in the development of advanced hybrid-electric propulsion technologies for next-generation aircraft. The project is part of Pratt & Whitney Canada’s regional hybrid-electric flight demonstration program. The company aims to achieve a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency and a commensurate reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, compared to today’s most advanced regional jet turboprop engines.” A 30% improvement, if achieved, would be a remarkable improvement in efficiency, and thus in reduced emissions.
Adrian Schaffer, President of Emerging Mobility at Ricardo, said, “We are delighted to have signed this deal with Pratt & Whitney Canada. It is an important milestone for our company as we strive to expand our capabilities and footprint in North America and explore new opportunities to support the decarbonisation of the global aerospace sector. This project will help us build on our existing reputation for the innovative design and delivery of forward-looking solutions for aerospace customers, create clean, efficient and integrated propulsion systems for next-generation aircraft and build on our vision of creating a safe and sustainable world.”
Jean Thomassin, Executive Director of New Products and Services at Pratt & Whitney Canada, said: “Hybrid-electric propulsion technology is a core element of our strategy to continuously improve the efficiency of aircraft propulsion systems, supporting the industry-wide goal of achieving of net zero carbon emissions for aviation by 2050. Our partnership with Ricardo brings valuable expertise in component design, systems integration and testing, which will ultimately enable us to demonstrate the potential of this technology, with ground testing starting later this year and eventually flight tests in 2024.”
So ideally, we’ll see hard news about this partnership before the year is out, and then real flights in 2024. There’s plenty of other electric-aircraft news that will definitely break before that happens, but any addition to the mix is welcome and could potentially make a difference. important stepping stone to reduced aircraft emissions and cheaper flights. If Pratt & Whitney Canada and Ricardo make great strides in hybrid-electric flight, we’ll have this premise to look back on.
Featured Image: “The Pratt & Whitney Canada Regional Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator is based on a De Havilland Canada Dash 8 experimental aircraft.” Thanks to Ricardo.
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