GKN Aerospace has signed an agreement with Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) to collaborate on the development of the high-voltage high-power EWIS for the RTX hybrid-electric flight demonstrator project. The agreement involves the development, construction and installation of the electrical wiring system of the demonstrator, which is targeting a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions compared to today’s most advanced regional turboprop aircraft.
The demonstrator’s hybrid-electric propulsion system integrates a highly efficient Pratt & Whitney fuel-burning engine with a one-megawatt electric motor developed by Collins Aerospace. The hybrid-electric system will enable more efficient engine performance during the different phases of flight, such as take-off, climb and cruise. Both Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace are business units of RTX.
GKN Aerospace in the Netherlands will spearhead the development and design of the high-voltage high-power EWIS for the hybrid-electric propulsion system. Following the design phase, GKN Aerospace will assume responsibility for manufacturing the necessary hardware and installing on the demonstrator aircraft.
GKN Aerospace is a renowned leader in engine systems and EWIS solutions for aircraft, with cutting-edge electrical distribution systems powering a significant number of today’s passenger planes and military aircraft. GKN Aerospace’s EWIS centre of excellence in the Netherlands is supported by teams in locations around the world including in Montreal, Canada, where the hybrid-electric flight demonstrator project is based.
