FutureFlight
UK Flight Trials Accelerate Ampaire's Plans To Convert Airliners to Hybrid-Electric Propulsion
Amapire says it will work with regional airlines to bring converted Twin Otter and Islander aircraft into commercial service by 2024.
Ampaire Electric EEL
Ampaire has launched a new phase of flight trials for its Electric EEL hybrid-electric technology demonstrator to evaluate requirements for possible commercial services from UK airports such as Exeter in the southwest of England. (Photo: Ampaire)

Ampaire this week started the next phase of its UK-based flight trials for its plans to convert regional airliners to hybrid-electric propulsion. The company’s Electric EEL technology demonstrator is operating between Exeter Airport and Cornwall Airport Newquay to evaluate operational needs for commercial services that the company says could start by 2024.

The trials, using a converted six-seat Cessna 337 Skymaster, are part of the UK government-backed 2Zero program (Towards Zero Emissions in Regional Aircraft Operations), which is evaluating the case for hybrid-electric flights out of the southwest of England. They follow a series of flights conducted earlier this month in northern Scotland as part of the Sustainable Aviation Test Environment project, which is backed by the UK’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.