Pratt & Whitney Canada to begin ground testing of new hybrid electric propulsion system
Pratt & Whitney Canada has reached a major milestone in the development of its hybrid-electric propulsion system to be used on the next-generation regional aircraft of tomorrow.
Announced on Day 2 of the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, the company said that with the milestone reached, it will now proceed to the next stage in the research and development of hybrid propulsion technology.
Pratt & Whitney reaches milestone with hybrid electric propulsion
On July 21 at the Farnborough Airshow, RTX-owned Pratt & Whitney Canada said after several years of development it would begin ground testing of the flight-standard propulsion system and propeller at its research centre based in Longueuil, Quebec. This marks a significant milestone in the RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator project.
Following completion of the ground test, the hybrid-electric propulsion system is expected to be installed on the company’s De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 experimental aircraft, with the first flight expected in 2027.
According to Pratt & Whitney canada, the hybrid-electric propulsion system combines an advanced Pratt & Whitney Canada thermal engine with a 1-megawatt electric motor and motor controller developed by RTX’s Collins Aerospace, along with a battery system supplied by H55, a Swiss developer of certifiable aviation energy storage systems.
With the electric motor providing additional power during demanding flight phases such as take-off and climb, the hybrid-electric architecture is expected to enable the propulsion system to operate more efficiently throughout the flight mission, according to the company.
The project aims to demonstrate up to 30% improved fuel efficiency for a typical 250-nautical-mile regional turboprop mission.
A collaboration bringing hybrid technology forward
The RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator project has accelerated collaboration between leading aerospace industry companies and research institutions within Canada and abroad, including De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, GKN Aerospace, AeroTEC, Ricardo, the National Research Council of Canada and the Innovative Vehicle Institute.
“Assembling the final, flight-standard propulsion system brings us one step closer to proving hybrid-electric technology in flight,” said Jean Thomassin, executive director, New Products and Services Introduction, Pratt & Whitney Canada.
“We are advancing thermal engine and hybrid-electric technologies which could enhance fuel efficiency and performance for a wide range of future aircraft applications.”
The project to develop a fully working hybrid aero engine is supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec.
Additionally, the project’s propulsion system verification phase is supported by Strix, an organisation that is tasked with managing Canada’s Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology (INSAT), with funding from the Government of Canada, as part of its fifth wave of innovative research projects.
Pratt & Whiney and Safran race ahead to the next stages of engine testing
The announcement by Pratt & Whitney Canada comes just a day after Safran Aircraft Engines announced the launch of a new ground testing campaign for the PHILEAS demonstrator engine at its site in Istres in southern France.
Supported by the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC), the programme aims to accelerate the maturity of hybrid-electric technologies for the next generation of aircraft engines.
With two major engine propulsion developers now advancing their work in this field to now ground testing their designs, industry observers are expecting great advances with this technology as the prospect of hybrid-electric flight nears reality.
