Ampaire To Flight Test 100% SAF In Hybrid-Electric Caravan
Electrified propulsion developer Ampaire is preparing to conduct flight tests of its Eco Caravan, a modified Cessna Grand Caravan retrofitted with a hybrid-electric powertrain, on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
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Electrified propulsion developer Ampaire is preparing to conduct flight tests of its Eco Caravan, a modified Cessna Grand Caravan retrofitted with a hybrid-electric powertrain, on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Ground tests with 100% SAF produced from electricity and carbon dioxide by Dimensional Energy were conducted in February. Flight tests will be followed by endurance tests and a tear-down inspection of the propulsion system to check for any impacts from running on 100% SAF.
Designed to replace the Caravan’s Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop, the initial 570-kW AMP-H570 version of Ampaire’s AMP-Drive hybrid-electric powertrain is based around a RED Aircraft A03 V12 diesel-cycle aeroengine that burns jet fuel.
Ampaire is targeting supplemental type certification (STC) of the Eco Caravan in 2025. The STC includes the AMP Drive hybrid-electric propulsion unit, AMP Pack battery system, a new propeller, high-voltage distribution system and updated AMP Flight Deck cockpit.
Ampaire calculates the conversion will reduce fuel burn and emissions by up to 70% when using SAF, lower operating costs by 25%-40% and double range, Chief Technology Officer Ed Lovelace told the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Aviation 2024 conference in Las Vegas on July 31.
Founded in 2016, Ampaire is pursuing a range of propulsion architectures for different applications, including independent and integrated parallel hybrid and series hybrid. The Caravan and other potential PT6A-powered applications use integrated parallel hybrid-electric engines.
Ampaire has studied modifying the twin-turboprop De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter with NASA funding and is working on a modification for the Beechcraft King Air with support from the U.S. Air Force’s AFWerx innovation arm. As another example, Lovelace showed a concept for a modified Dornier 328 40-seat regional turboprop retrofitted with four AMP Drive-integrated parallel-hybrid engines.
Following its acquisition of startup Talyn Air in July 2023, Ampaire also is developing a series hybrid-electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing uncrewed aircraft system for AFWerx, Lovelace said.
Under NASA’s High Efficiency Powertrain for Hybrid Aircraft project, the company is studying both parallel and series hybrid architectures based on its smaller, 270-kW AMP-270 drive, with plans for flight tests on the company’s Cessna 337 Skymaster propulsion testbed. The AMP-270 is based around a smaller DeltaHawk compression-ignition piston engine able to run on Jet A1 fuel and SAF.