Electric aviation pioneer Ampaire has partnered with Dimensional Energy, an emerging power-to-liquid producer, to perform a ground test of a hybrid-electric powertrain using 100% e-SAF created by converting carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere. The two US-based companies performed the test using an Ampaire Eco Caravan, a Cessna Grand Caravan commuter plane retrofitted with an Ampaire AMP-H570 AMP Drive propulsion system. Dimensional Energy specialises in power-to-liquid production, blending captured CO2 with green hydrogen to create syngas, which is then to converted to low carbon liquid e-fuel.  Ampaire has also announced the acquisition of Magpie Aviation, whose autonomous tow aircraft can be used to meet electric planes during flight and tow them for part of their journey, enabling the e-planes to conserve battery power and extend their flight range, before descending under their own power.

Ampaire and Texas-based Dimensional Energy are both backed by global climate investment platform Elemental Excelerator and have significant advance orders for their products. The propulsion company says its AMP-H570 hybrid electric propulsion systems can reduce by 50-70% the fuel burn and emissions of conventional Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop engines usually used to power the short-haul Cessna Caravan.

Dimensional’s customers include United Airlines Group, which has not only ordered 300 million gallons of the e-SAF but also invested in the fuel start-up in 2022. Ampaire said the ground test using Dimensional’s 100% ASTM D7566 SAF “exceeded expectations” and progressed the powertrain’s development.

“By showcasing the transformative efficiency gains achievable through hybrid-electric propulsion, we are driving the future of eco-friendly air travel,” said Kevin Noertker, CEO of California-based Ampaire. “The successful ground test using pure SAF from Dimensional Energy marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards sustainable aviation. For those already recognising the potential of SAF, its integration into our hybrid electric aircraft enhances its appeal even further.” 

Dimensional Energy, which describes itself as a “carbon-to-value technology company”, creates e-fuels through the capture and conversion of atmospheric CO2, a pathway which does not rely on feedstocks such as used fat, oils, greases or solid waste, but which, when scaled, will not be limited by feedstock scarcity.

By scaling hybrid-electric technology and SAF for air transport, the company says, “there is an additional opportunity to address the quality and cost concerns associated with SAF, paving the way for even broader use in the aviation industry.”

The Dimensional Energy process involves extracting CO2 from the air with giant fans, then combining it with green hydrogen, produced by using renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The syngas this creates is converted via the Fischer-Tropsch process into variations of liquid fuel including SAF or renewable diesel for road and sea transport.

“Technology providers have to collaborate beyond innovation and into execution,” said Jason Salfi, CEO of Dimensional Energy. “By combining Dimensional’s e-fuels with Ampaire’s aircraft technology that can reduce the amount of fuels combusted during flight, we quicken the pace up the steep curve of the energy transition and reduce the need for extraction faster.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Ampaire on this groundbreaking initiative. Our partnership underscores our commitment to advancing sustainable aviation fuel solutions that offer tangible benefits to the aviation industry and contribute to a greener future.” 

Ampaire’s 11-passenger Eco Caravan is already attracting industry interest, with UK-based regional aircraft lessor Monte announcing orders for 25 and options for another 25, and commitments for up to 11 more from Azul Conector and US air mobility provider WingTips. In addition to the Eco Caravan, and its first e-plane, a converted three-passenger Cessna 337 Skymaster dubbed The Electric Eel, Ampaire is also working with NASA to progress the Eco Otter, a four-motor, hybrid-electric version of the 19-seat DHC Twin Otter regional workhorse, targeting a 40-50% reduction in fuel consumption, 65-75% lower emissions, and a 22-32 decibel reduction in noise.

Additionally, it is planning an all-new fully electric commuter plane, the Ampaire TailWind, to be powered by a single rear-mounted ducted fan.  

Elemental Excelerator is a US-based, non-profit global investment platform with a portfolio exceeding 150 companies, “funding projects for climate technologies in communities, and embedding equity and access into climate solutions.”  

CEO Dawn Lippert welcomed the Ampaire-Dimensional partnership as a textbook example of the projects the fund supported. “The announcement by two Elemental portfolio companies, both leaders in their fields, is exactly the kind of collaboration we imagined when investing in Ampaire and Dimensional Energy,” she said. “Their innovations reduce pollution and noise in neighbourhoods around airports and make possible a cleaner way to fly.”  

The Magpie deal expands the portfolio of capabilities offered by Ampaire, and adds to its recent acquisition of another autonomous aircraft business, Talyn, which uses a vertical take-off and landing mule to lift an electric freight aircraft to and from cruise level, without the freighter expending battery power to climb or descend.

Ampaire’s Kevin Noertker said the acquisition of Magpie Aviation would deliver revenue growth across both the commercial and defence sectors, while also extending the capabilities and mission scope of its existing hybrid planes.

“Building upon our recent acquisition of Talyn Air the addition of Magpie exemplifies our deliberate approach to integrating pivotal companies and assets on our path to accelerate our leadership in electric aviation,” he said, foreshadowing more announcements during this year.

Photo: Fuelling of an Ampaire Eco Caravan with 100% e-SAF supplied by Dimensional Energy for ground testing

Tony Harrington

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Electric aircraft are growing bigger and flying further, evidenced by two recent developments in Europe and the US. European start-up Maeve Aerospace has unveiled plans for an 84-seat hybrid-electric aircraft, the M80, while US hybrid-electric manufacturer Ampaire has claimed a new endurance record, operating a demonstrator aircraft for 12 hours in a continuous circuit test flight in California. Maeve’s twin-engine M80 is the third design announced since 2022, when it proposed an eight-motor, 44-seat battery-electric aircraft, which it replaced this year with a revised four-motor version, the Maeve 01. The latest design will have two hybrid-electric engines and 10 battery packs, be compatible with sustainable aviation fuels and is aiming for entry into service by 2031. Ampaire is working towards 2024 US certification of a hybrid-electric propulsion system to retrofit into commuter planes.

Maeve Aerospace, jointly-based in the Netherlands and Germany, has designed the new M80 to carry up to 84 passengers in a single-class layout, or 76 in a two-class cabin, on routes of up to 800 nautical miles (1,482 kilometres). Its hybrid-electric powertrain will provide electric-boosted take-off and climb and the aircraft will be able to fly at up 400 knots (740 kph) at a maximum altitude of 35,000 feet.

Funded by private investors, the Dutch government and the European Investment Council, the M80 is being developed as a successor to fossil-fuelled regional jets and older turboprop airliners such as the De Havilland Dash 8 family. From its initial base in Delft, the Netherlands, the company is adding a second facility at Oberpfaffenhofen Airport near Munich to advance the M80 programme.

Maeve says the aircraft will be certified to operate with 100% hydrogen-based power-to-liquid sustainable aviation fuel and other SAF types, reducing CO2 emissions by more than 95% below similar-size existing aircraft types. It claims the M80’s trip costs will be 25% lower than those of equivalent-sized regional jets, while seat-mile costs will be more than 20% below those of current-model turboprops. The plane’s new airframe design and high-performance propulsion are projected to use 40% less fuel than regional jets when flying at cruise level.

“To my knowledge, there are currently no alternatives in development that are equally sustainable, cost-effective and match the operational needs of airlines and airports,” said Martin Nüsseler, Maeve’s CTO. “If there are, I would applaud them, because we need more of these realistic solutions to become sustainable.” 

In Camarillo, California, hybrid-electric developer Ampaire performed what it claims to be a record 12-hour endurance flight, covering 1,375 miles (2,212 kilometres) in a continuous circuit with a twin-engine Cessna 337 Electric EEL, which landed with an estimated two hours of fuel and battery reserves remaining.

The aircraft has been used as a testbed for high-powered electronics, inverters, motors and other systems, and a platform for development of the AMP-H570 AMP Drive hybrid propulsion system now installed in the company’s Eco Caravan, a retrofitted Cessna 208B commuter plane, for which it is targeting 2024 supplemental type certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration.

Los Angeles-based Ampaire says the new powertrain has delivered 50%-70% reductions in fuel consumption and emissions compared to the conventional Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop engines installed in Cessna Caravans.

“Through this groundbreaking mission, Ampaire has shattered the conventional boundaries of electrified flight,” said Kevin Noertker, Ampaire’s CEO. “Our unique hybrid electric solutions deliver unparalleled operating economics and unlock endurance and operational flexibility critical to our customers’ needs.”

The company has orders and options from airlines and lessors for Cessna Caravan propulsion conversion kits and is progressively targeting retrofits for larger aircraft, beginning with the De Havilland Twin Otter.

Image: Maeve Aerospace’s planned M80 hybrid-electric aircraft

Tony Harrington

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MONTE Aircraft Leasing, a UK-based lessor specialising in zero-emission regional fleets, has announced two new deals which could deliver up to 90 hybrid-electric or hydrogen-electric commuter planes for use by short-haul operators seeking to decarbonise. Through a partnership with US company Ampaire, MONTE will acquire up to 50 Eco Caravans, hybrid-electric upgrades of the Cessna Grand Caravan, which operates as both a passenger plane and a parcel freighter. The lessor has also signed a letter of intent with the UK’s Cranfield Aerospace Solutions to buy 40 modification kits to convert Britten-Norman Islander aircraft from fossil-fuelled piston engines to hydrogen-electric propulsion systems. The Ampaire and Cranfield announcements coincided with the maiden flight of Ampaire’s Eco Caravan prototype. They also extend MONTE’s growing portfolio of suppliers in the zero-emission aerospace sector and agreements with multiple operators to investigate green fleet or propulsion options for short-range flights.

The Ampaire agreement consists of 25 firm orders for Eco Caravans and options to acquire another 25, and is underpinned by a mutual preferred partner agreement, through which Ampaire will provide Eco Caravans to MONTE, and the lessor will become Ampaire’s financing partner for the type.

Compared to the conventionally-powered Cessna Grand Caravan, Ampaire says the Eco Caravan can cut fuel and emissions by up to 70% on shorter journeys and 50% on longer trips, and is “effectively carbon neutral” when also flown with sustainable aviation fuel. The Eco Caravan is also designed to deliver greater range without compromising payload and can recharge its batteries in flight, enabling it to serve any airport to which Caravans now fly, irrespective of ground charging infrastructure.

“MONTE is looking to build a fleet of low-emission and zero-emission aircraft to lease or finance for regional aircraft operators worldwide,” said Timothy Eyre, the company’s Investment Director.  “Ampaire has emerged as the leading hybrid-electric technology provider and its Eco Caravan will be very attractive for a segment of our operators. We are excited to have signed another key technology partnership and are looking forward to working with the Ampaire team to finance the Eco Caravan.”

The lessor has recently signed agreements to explore zero emission options and financing for customers including Cessna Caravan operators such as Costa Rica Green Airways.

Ampaire’s testbed Eco Caravan has just completed its first flight, powered by a fully-integrated hybrid-electric propulsion system. The nine-seat aircraft departed Camarillo Airport, north of Los Angeles, climbed at full power to 3,500 feet, and flew for 33 minutes using a combination of power from its combustion and electric engines.  

“The Eco Caravan is our starting point for a revolution in air travel,” said Ampaire CEO Kevin Noertker. “It brings cost per available seat mile down to the range of driving, benefiting operators and their passengers. It dramatically shrinks the aircraft’s carbon footprint. The propulsion technology is scalable and we intend to quickly move toward larger regional aircraft and even the single-aisle jet market over time.”

This month, MONTE signed an agreement with Indian regional flybig to provide financing and leasing solutions for the conversion of the airline’s fleet of DHC-6-400 and ATR aircraft to zero emission propulsion technologies. The lessor will also lease two DHC-6-400 aircraft to flybig. Announcing the airline’s #GoGreen initiative, Managing Director Sanjay Mandavia said: “This initiative will not only revolutionise air travel in India, but also reduce the cost of flying with flybig.”

MONTE has also signed a letter of intent with Cranfield Aerospace Solutions to buy 40 modification kits to retrofit twin-engine Britten-Norman Islander (BN2) aircraft to hydrogen-electric propulsion systems.

Through its ‘Project Fresson’ initiative, Cranfield is converting a nine-seat BN2 from fossil fuel to gaseous hydrogen, using a fuel cell and electric motor. The company’s initial aim is to achieve certification of the type for passenger service by 2026, and to offer the aircraft as a zero-emission option for short haul flights, with longer term plans to develop new-build 19-seat and 75-seat aircraft. 

MONTE will become Cranfield’s recommended financing partner for the converted BN2 aircraft, while Cranfield will become MONTE’s exclusive provider of the planes.

“We are excited to announce our partnership with Cranfield Aerospace Solutions which allows us to offer converted electric-hydrogen Britten-Norman Islander aircraft to regional turboprop operators,” said MONTE’s Eyre. “This partnership represents another important milestone on our journey to becoming carbon neutral by 2027.” 

Cranfield’s CEO, Paul Hutton, said: “We are delighted to be able to sign this deal with MONTE Aircraft Leasing, a company that we believe shares the same ambitions and values as us. It’s an extremely exciting time for Cranfield Aerospace Solutions as we continue to gain sales momentum in the market.”

The latest deals extend MONTE’s growing list of partnerships with suppliers including the hydrogen propulsion developer ZeroAvia and electric and hydrogen powertrain company Dovetail Electric Aviation. The lessor has ordered 100 ZA600 powertrains from ZeroAvia to convert conventionally-powered regional aircraft including the Cessna Caravan, Dornier 228 and DHC-6 Twin Otter, and another 50 conversion kits from newly-former Euro-Australian company Dovetail Electric Aviation to convert Cessna Caravans to hybrid-electric propulsion and Beech King Air aircraft to hydrogen-electric power.

Photo: MONTE is to explore the conversion of Costa Rica Green Airways’ fleet of Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX aircraft to zero-emission propulsion

The unprecedented heatwave sweeping the UK during the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow was a timely, if unwelcome, prod to the aviation sector that it must continue raising its game in the collective fight to mitigate the growing impact of global warming. Established and emerging aerospace players, from Airbus to ZeroAvia, used the biggest air show since the start of the pandemic to promote and progress deals, partnerships and initiatives designed to help deliver net zero emissions by 2050. In addition to more than 300 orders for new-technology aircraft, Farnborough showcased a range of developments on new propulsion systems and fuels, the growing trend to convert fossil-fuelled aircraft to zero emission power and continued strong growth in the urban air mobility sector, reports Tony Harrington. As countries met in Montreal to discuss a long-term target to reduce emissions from international aviation, the UK government released at the air show its eagerly-awaited Jet Zero Strategy to decarbonise the British aviation sector.

Having recently unveiled plans to use an A380 superjumbo as a testbed for its ZEROe hydrogen propulsion programme, Airbus announced it would convert a second A380, this time to be used in a collaboration with engine manufacturer CFM International to test new open-architecture powerplants. This engine technology, known as RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines), features large external fans which are expected to drive significant operating efficiencies and cut emissions by 20%.

Airbus UpNext, a subsidiary of the airframer, also announced a partnership with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to study contrails created by hydrogen-powered engines. Through a new project called Blue Condor, two modified Arcus gliders will be deployed, one powered by a conventional kerosene combustion engine, the other hydrogen combustion. A chase aircraft will follow each of these craft to assess and compare their contrails at high altitude, in what will be the first in-flight tests by Airbus using a hydrogen engine.

To further support its hydrogen ambitions, Airbus has invested an undisclosed amount in Hy24, described as the world’s largest clean hydrogen infrastructure investment fund, focused on supporting large-scale green hydrogen infrastructure projects. “Since 2020, Airbus has partnered with numerous airlines, airports, energy providers and industry partners to develop a stepped approach to global hydrogen availability,” said Karine Guenan, VP ZEROe Ecosystem, Airbus. “Joining a fund of this magnitude demonstrates Airbus’ continuously active role in infrastructure investments for the production, storage and distribution of clean hydrogen worldwide.” 

Rolls-Royce and European low-cost airline easyJet also announced a hydrogen propulsion programme, the H2Zero Partnership, to jointly pioneer the development of hydrogen combustion engine technology suitable for a range of aircraft, including narrowbody airliners, from the mid-2030s. This collaboration, which combines Rolls-Royce’s engine expertise and easyJet’s operational experience, will start later this year with engine tests on the ground and ambitions by both companies to also progress to flight tests.

“In order to achieve net zero by 2050, we have always said that radical action is needed to address aviation’s climate impact,” said Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet. “The technology that emerges from this programme has the potential to power easyJet-size aircraft, which is why we will also be making a multi-million-pound investment into this programme. In order to achieve decarbonisation at scale, progress on the development of zero-emission technology for narrowbody aircraft is crucial. Together with Rolls-Royce, we look forward to leading the industry to tackle this challenge head-on.”

Boeing, which announced more than 200 aircraft orders at the show, has become a founding member of the University of Sheffield Energy Innovation Centre to explore various methods of producing sustainable aviation fuel, and bringing it to market. During the air show, the aircraft OEM revealed it was advancing its partnership with the University of Cambridge on the Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA), an international group of practitioners and academics convened by the university. AIA develops interactive evidence-based models, simulations and visualisation tools for decision-makers and the wider engaged public to understand the pathways to net zero flight. The outcomes and key learnings will eventually be integrated into Boeing’s Cascade data modelling tool, which provides real-time visualisation of carbon emission reductions in aviation, and also announced during the show. The model assesses the full lifecycle impacts of renewable energy by accounting for the emissions required to produce, distribute and use alternative energy carriers such as hydrogen, electricity and SAF. Boeing said it plans to utilise the tool with airline operators, industry partners and policymakers to inform when, where and how different fuel sources intersect with new airplane designs.

The company also expanded a long-standing collaboration with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy industries to study electric and hydrogen propulsion, development of green hydrogen, new feedstocks and technologies for development of SAF, carbon capture and conversion, sustainable materials and new aircraft design concepts. As well, Boeing announced a $50 million investment in AEI HorizonX, a partnership it established with private equity group AE Industrial Partners to support transformative aerospace technologies.

“In order for the aviation industry to meet its net zero carbon emissions commitment by 2050 it will take all of us collaborating and investing in scientific research and testing,” said Boeing’s VP of Global Sustainability Policy, Brian Moran.

Boeing also announced a new partnership with Alder Fuels to expand production of SAF around the world. Using Boeing aircraft, the companies will test and qualify Alder-derived SAF, advance policies to expedite aviation’s energy transition.

Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic, Corendon Dutch Airlines and Albawings have selected Boeing’s Jeppesen FliteDeck Advisor to optimise operational efficiency and reduce fuel consumption across their fleets of Boeing aircraft. During a three-month trial on its 787 Dreamliners, Virgin Atlantic found the digital solution delivered cruise fuel savings of 1.7%, saving around 1,900kg of CO2 per flight.

Hydrogen propulsion pioneer ZeroAvia secured an additional $30 million from new investors including Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital, NEOM, a sustainable regional development in Saudi Arabia, and the impact technology fund AENU, as well as additional capital from International Airlines Group, an existing investor and parent of airlines including British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL. “Our new investors are each looking at our journey through a different lens,” said Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, “but all energised by our mission to enable zero-emission flight using hydrogen-electric engines.”

ZeroAvia, Universal Hydrogen and Ampaire announced during the air show a total of 55 firm orders for kits to convert commuter or turboprop aircraft from fossil fuels to zero-emission electric or hydrogen propulsion, while Swiss aero-battery manufacturer H55 launched a partnership with Canadian training group CAE and Piper Aircraft to convert to battery-electric power two-thirds of CAE’s fleet of Piper Archer training aircraft. Ampaire also flagged in excess of 200 orders on the horizon for its Eco Caravan and Eco Otter aircraft, re-engined variants of the Cessna Caravan and De Havilland Twin Otter regional aircraft.

GKN Aerospace revealed during the show that advances in fuel cell technology could enable hydrogen-electric propulsion to be scaled up more quickly than previously thought. The company had assumed that hydrogen propulsion was easiest to introduce for aircraft seating around 19 passengers, but now believes the use of cryogenic cooling technology can expedite deployment of the technology to power aircraft seating 96 or even more passengers, and reducing both CO2 and non-CO2 emissions.

Norway’s Widerøe Zero, the sustainability arm of regional airline Widerøe, signed a MoU with Embraer to help develop the airframer’s new Energia family of zero emission aircraft, with four variants ranging from 19 to 50 seats, while Collins Aerospace has completed the preliminary design of a 1-megawatt motor and controller to power a hybrid-electric demonstrator aircraft for the engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Canada.

Collins and Pratt & Whitney also launched a new electric propulsion concept, the Scaleable Turboelectric Powertrain Technology demonstrator (STEP-tech), to power novel aircraft including high-speed electric vertical take-off or landing craft (eVTOL), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and small-to-medium commercial aircraft, while new deals, developments and partnerships were announced in the eVTOL segment by companies including Germany’s Lilium, Embraer’s Eve, UK-based Vertical Aerospace, French start-up Ascendance Flight Technologies and a tie up between Rolls Royce and Hyundai Motor Group’s air taxi division, Supernal.

GE Aviation announced a milestone for its own electric engine programme, conducting the world’s first test of a hybrid-electric propulsion system in simulated high-altitude conditions. Using NASA’s Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT) in Sandusky, Ohio, GE assessed a pair of hybrid electric systems, one to simulate an aircraft’s left engine, the other its right engine, in conditions expected when flying at 45,000 feet. The test simulated the electrical loads needed to optimise engine performance, while propelling and powering an aircraft at that altitude.   

Mohamed Ali, VP and GM of Engineering for GE Aerospace, said: “We’re making aviation history by developing the technology to help make hybrid electric flight possible for everyday commercial air travel. We just passed a key milestone by successfully concluding the world’s first test of a high power, high voltage electric system at altitude conditions. This is one of many milestones in our journey with NASA towards demonstrating a hybrid electric aircraft engine system for a more sustainable future of flight.”

A small Spanish airline, AlbaStar, was identified at Farnborough as the European launch customer for the US-made WheelTug electric taxiing system, which enables aircraft to be manoeuvred around airports without using external tractors or their own engines. Using a small electric motor installed within the nosewheel, pilots can control all ground movements by their aircraft, including reversing from airport aerobridges. AlbaStar, which operates six Boeing 737 jets, estimates that in a year the WheelTug system could eliminate 1 million kilograms of CO2 and nitrogen oxide emissions from the airline’s operations. The WheelTug system is due to be introduced into service in mid-2023.

Image (Embraer): Norwegian airline Widerøe has signed a MoU with Embraer to help develop the airframer’s new Energia family of zero emission aircraft