GE Aerospace has completed testing of a megawatt-class hybrid-electric engine system developed under NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project, clearing the way for future flight tests.
The ground test marked the company’s first validation of the full integrated system. It brought together GE Aerospace-developed motor-generators, power converters and inverters, controllers, Dowty propellers, Avio Aero gearboxes and a CT7 engine. BAE Systems supplied the batteries, while Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences provided the complete nacelle.
“Step by step, we’re proving hybrid-electric engine technology for next-generation commercial aircraft,” said Arjan Hegeman, Vice President for Future of Flight at GE Aerospace. “This latest ground test of a complete hybrid-electric powertrain positions GE Aerospace to have the technologies ready to meet customer needs for greater durability, efficiency and range in future propulsion systems.”
Testing took place at GE Aerospace’s Peebles Test Operation in Ohio, where teams simulated key flight phases, including taxi, take-off, climb and cruise. During the campaign, the electric powertrain helped drive the propeller and generated power for the battery.
The test used flightworthy components designed to meet higher safety and reliability standards than typical test hardware. This forms part of GE Aerospace’s wider effort to mature a commercial-grade hybrid-electric engine system.
The milestone follows more than a decade of testing and refining individual components and modules.
“The ground test is a major turning point in our understanding of hybrid-electric powertrains for aviation and a fundamental building block for the future,” Hegeman said.
A hybrid-electric engine system combines an electric powertrain with a conventional gas turbine, enabling more efficient power management across different phases of flight. The technology is also compatible with several fuel types and advanced aircraft engine architectures, including Open Fan.
