“Aviation is the hardest industry to decarbonize,”\nsaid Ampaire CEO Kevin Noertker. “Fully-electric aircraft are range\nlimited because of the weight and energy capacity of current-generation\nbatteries. Hybrid-electric aircraft, however, can preserve the range and\nutility of today’s aircraft. That is why we are focused on hybrid-electric\npropulsion for a series of increasingly capable regional aircraft. It’s a way\nfor the airline industry to decarbonize more quickly and also to benefit from\nlower operating costs.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ampair-eco-caravan-.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe landmark achievement adds momentum to a program that has attracted key customers and program participants in recent months. In October, the company announced a relationship with Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) for a range of worldwide maintenance service and support activities. Also last month, Ampaire received an order from MONTE, a financier of sustainable regional aviation technologies, for up to 50 Eco Caravans. “These types of relationships ensure that Ampaire’s customers worldwide have compelling financing and leasing support alongside world class maintenance\/repair\/overhaul support,” said Noertker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A “smooth and quiet” first flight<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Eco Caravan upgrades the standard Cessna Grand Caravan\nwith Ampaire’s integrated propulsion system of a compression ignition engine\nand an electric engine. A battery pack in a body fairing preserves passenger and\ncargo capacity for the aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first flight was 33 minutes in duration to make initial\nchecks of the propulsion system. With test pilot Elliot Seguin at the controls,\nthe Eco Caravan took off from Camarillo Airport north of Los Angeles at 7:49AM PST.\nIt climbed to 3,500 feet at full power, combining power from the combustion\nengine and electric engine. Seguin then throttled back to a cruise setting,\nreducing load on both power sources. He spent roughly 20 minutes testing\nvarious power settings while studying temperatures and other readings before\nmaking a descent and final approach to Camarillo at a low power setting.\n“The Eco Caravan propulsion system performed just as expected,” said\nSeguin. “It was smooth and quiet. All temperature and power output\nreadings were normal.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Net Zero Emissions with SAF<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Eco Caravan reduces fuel consumption and emissions by up\nto 70 percent. Emissions are near zero when using sustainable aviation fuel.\nCost of operation is reduced by 25 to 40 percent depending on airline route\nstructure. Cost per available seat mile is near that of driving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hybrid-electric aircraft preserves the range\/payload\ncapability of the Grand Caravan, and in fact can fly farther than the Grand\nCaravan with eight passengers. Maximum range is beyond 1,000 miles. The Eco\nCaravan’s range and load hauling capability is in marked contrast to proposed\nall-electric, hydrogen-electric and even other hybrid-electric designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Eco Caravan can recharge its batteries in flight or at a\ncharging stations on the ground. Because charging infrastructure will be\nlimited for some years, the ability to operate independent of ground charging\nis critical for preserving the full utility of the Eco Caravan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first in a new generation of sustainable electrified aircraft<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Eco Caravan’s propulsion technology is scalable to\nlarger regional aircraft and ultimately to single-aisle airliners. Ampaire\nplans to rapidly roll out more powerful propulsion systems for larger aircraft,\nfollowing a building blocks approach that will dramatically improve the\nsustainability of airline operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “As proud as we are of the Eco Caravan, we see it as a\nfirst step to larger hybrid-electric propulsions systems and ultimately\nzero-emission systems as energy storage technology advances,” said\nNoertker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First to market<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ampaire is already working with the FAA to certify the Eco\nCaravan in 2024 under a supplemental type certificate, an STC. The Ampaire\napproach differs from others in that it does not require a full aircraft\ncertification program, which can be time consuming and very expensive. The\nGrand Caravan is already FAA certified. Ampaire will certify it to fly with a\nnew propulsion system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Launching hybrid-electric aviation is no simple task,\nbut we have made it easier by upgrading an already certified aircraft,”\nsaid Noertker. “We will come to market more quickly and allow airlines\naround the world to begin to gain operational experience with this new type of\npropulsion. And we will work with them on follow-on models to meet their\nnetwork requirements.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ampaire’s Eco Caravan, a nine-seat regional aircraft, made its first flight recently on a fully integrated hybrid-electric propulsion system. Ampaire expects it to be the first electrified regional aircraft to enter commercial service (certification in 2024) and the first in a series of larger Ampaire hybrid-electric aircraft that will lead a transition to sustainable aviation. 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