Hybrid-electric propulsion evangelist Ampaire has published a treatise spelling out the central tenets of what it calls “our approach to repowering aviation.” Given the California company’s core mission to convert existing regional and utility turboprop aircraft, such as Cessna Caravans, there is an element of “they would say that, wouldn’t they?” in some of the arguments. Nonetheless, it also provides an informative overview as to how hybrid-electric propulsion works.
The Ampaire authors also contrast their approach with what they call “pure electric” powertrains, meaning those based entirely on batteries. There are also chapters on hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel.
And the bottom line? “We are not looking to be a niche product for a very limited set of plane sizes and use cases, which doesn’t move the needle on environmental impact,” the report concludes. “Our industry needs a solution that works right now for real routes and customers and one that actually saves them money. Certainly, you can load up a plane with heavy batteries or huge hydrogen tanks and perform a demonstration, but this is very different from producing a commercial product that matches or exceeds the capabilities of existing planes on both metrics.”
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