Pioneering hybrid-electric test flight takes place between South West airports

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A pioneering test flight has taken place in the South West as part of a £5m project which could lead to hybrid-electric aircraft zipping about the region.

Hybrid-electric aviation technology firm Ampaire Ltd staged the demonstration flights between Exeter Airport and Cornwall Airport Newquay to promote the use of sustainable aviation, driving down costs and emissions on short regional routes. The flights are part of a series of Government-backed trials aimed at moving the UK towards green aviation.

The US-based firm used its Electric EEL technology aircraft, a modified US-built six-seat Cessna 337 Skymaster, featuring a battery-powered electric motor at the front and conventional combustion engine at the rear.

This combination enables a reduction in emissions and operating costs by as much as 30%. The aircraft flew between the two regional airports, 85 miles apart, on a combination of battery and piston power, collecting data to monitor fuel savings, efficiency and noise.

The aircraft’s flight to Newquay took just 37 minutes. Currently, the Electric EE’s range is about eight hours, or 500 miles, with a single pilot.

Ampaire uses the EEL as an important research and development platform. It is currently developing hybrid electric power train upgrades for 9- to 19-seat regional aircraft, including the Cessna Grand Caravan and Twin Otter.

The firm views the near-term opportunity to transform existing turboprop aircraft as the first step to fully electric aircraft, which will become feasible as battery technology advances.

Ampaire heads a UK-based consortium created to explore regional electric aviation transport solutions. Last year the team received £2.4m from the UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) £30m Future Flight Challenge towards the consortium’s £5m 2ZERO (Towards Zero Emissions in Regional Aircraft Operations) programme.

This involves the operation of hybrid electric aircraft on regional routes in the South West, together with a study of the ecosystem required to enable the future of electric aircraft within existing airport and airline operations.

The 2ZERO bid was submitted by Ampaire and partners including Exeter Airport, Rolls-Royce Electrical, University of Nottingham, Loganair Ltd, Cornwall Airport Ltd, Heart of the Southwest Local Enterprise Partnership (HotSWLEP), and UK Power Networks Services.

“Low-emission aircraft are vitally needed on short haul regional routes to meet the UK’s net-zero objective for aviation,” said Dr Susan Ying, Ampaire’s senior vice president for global operations, who thanked the UK Civil Aviation Authority for authorising the test flights. “We are developing commercial aircraft now that will begin this revolution in sustainable aviation with service entry planned for 2024.”

The EEL will be based at Exeter Airport from where it will fly on two CAA-approved routes, taking it over Dartmoor, or along the Devon and Cornwall coastline, before touching down at Newquay.

“The EEL flies very much like a conventional aircraft, with some new instrumentation for power management,” said demonstration pilot Elliot Sequin. “We have flown it nonstop from Los Angeles to San Francisco and now the length of the UK without any difficulty. It is the forerunner of a new generation of efficient aircraft that will be easy to fly for pilots and cost effective for airlines.”

Lord Callanan, Minister for Business, was at Exeter Airport’s XLR Jet Centre for the demonstration and said: “Today’s hybrid electric test flight by Ampaire, backed by £2.4m of Government funding, is a significant milestone in making aviation cleaner and more sustainable.”

Robert Courts, Aviation Minister, added: “We’re leading the charge on reducing aviation emissions through the consultation on our ambitious Jet Zero Strategy, which recognises the key role innovative technologies like hybrid-electric aircraft can play in decarbonising aviation. The test flights taking place today demonstrate how we can reduce aviation emissions, while collecting valuable data on fuel savings and efficiency to help future innovation.”

Stephen Wiltshire, operations director, Exeter Airport, said: “The future of aviation, as with so many aspects of our lives, has to be sustainable and only through innovation and the commitment of partnerships, such as ours with 2ZERO, can we highlight the potential of this emerging technology.”

Pete Downes, managing director, Cornwall Airport Newquay, said: “We are incredibly proud to be partnering with Ampaire in this exciting project. At a time when demand for domestic regional travel is stronger than ever, it’s vital we work together to find the most sustainable way to deliver this in the future.”

Andy Smith, head of sustainability strategy at Loganair, said: “These trials are among the first of their kind in the world and we are extremely proud to be supporting Ampaire as it takes an important step towards achieving sustainable aviation.”

Karl Tucker, Chair of HotSW LEP, said: “The 2ZERO Programme offers a huge step forwards in transforming air travel in the future, helping the UK towards its target of net zero carbon flights by 2050. It’s fantastic to be part of the consortium leading this project in the South West, which brings together the talent and expertise from our highly skilled aerospace workforce and smart aviation cluster.”

Gary Cutts, Future Flight Challenge director at UKRI, said: “At Future Flight we are committed to leading a revolution in aviation by funding projects that will deliver real benefits to local communities. It’s great to see the work the 2ZERO project is putting in to developing not only a new aircraft with Ampaire, but also the infrastructure needed to support them. These developments in new aviation technologies give me confidence that future air travel will not only be greener, but also improve connectivity for thousands of people across the UK.”

Tim Johnson, director of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “We are pleased to see trials of innovative aircraft technologies that could improve the environmental sustainability of the aviation sector. The trials will enable the CAA to advance the safe and effective regulation of innovative services and products.”