GE Aerospace conducted a ground test of a hybrid-electric engine system for single-aisle aircraft , a strategy with which it seeks to redefine the future of commercial flights.
“This milestone demonstrates a hybrid-electric engine architecture that does not require energy storage to operate. It is a critical step toward making hybrid-electric flight a reality for commercial aviation, through technologies that address the needs for efficiency, durability, and range,” said Arjan Hegeman, the company’s vice president of Future of Flight.
Ground testing of a modified Passport engine concluded in 2025 at the Peebles Test Operation facility in Ohio, as part of NASA’s (United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Turbofan Engine Power Extraction Demonstration project .
GE Aerospace developed a hybrid-electric architecture for narrowbody aircraft that integrates electric motor-generators into a gas turbine to supplement power during different phases of operation. This design optimizes performance and creates a system capable of operating with or without energy storage systems, such as batteries.
According to the company, the test results exceeded NASA’s technical performance parameters. The agency established these standards based on industry needs to generate significant savings in U.S. aviation fuel costs while meeting the power requirements of future aircraft.
He noted that the Power Extraction Demonstration is one of several efforts to mature more electric engine technologies through the CFM International RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines) program. Launched in 2021, the program is one of the most comprehensive technology demonstrators in the industry, with over 350 tests and 3,000 endurance cycles completed to date.
GE Aerospace has achieved multiple milestones in this area over the past decade, including a ground test of an electric motor-driven propeller in 2016, and a strategic alliance and investment in BETA Technologies to develop a hybrid-electric turbogenerator intended for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) by 2025, among others.
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