GE Aviation and Boeing Join Forces to Prepare Hybrid-Electric Flying Testbed

The U.S. aircraft engine manufacturer has been working on hybrid-electric propulsion technology for mroe than a decade, including motors, generators, power converters, and power management systems.

GE Aviation's electric motor and generator unit for its planned hybrid-electric propulsion system. — GE Aviation is preparing for test flights with Saab 340 aircraft fitted with this combined electric motor/generator and a pair of its CT7-9B turboprop engines. (Image: GE Aviation)

By Charles Alcock • Managing Editor

February 7, 2022

GE Aviation is partnering with Boeing to support flight tests of a planned hybrid-electric propulsion system using a modified Saab 340B aircraft. For initial testing, the aircraft engines manufacturer will fly the regional airliner with a pair of its CT7-9B turboprops and a combined electric motor and generator as it works on a fully hybrid-electric system that might be used to retrofit existing regional airliners or power new aircraft designs.

The parallel test configuration will allow GE’s engineering team to switch power between the motor/generator and the turboprops. The powertrain will also include batteries to store electric power produced by the generator. "We are looking to be able to charge batteries, as well as moving power to the engine and side-to-side," GE Aviation's hybrid-electric systems program leader Christine Andrews explained to FutureFlight.

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