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Ampaire
Brice Nzeukou, product manager for Ampaire, explains why the aviation in- dustry is seeing more of a shift toward electric propulsion: “There are many benefits that come with an all-electric aircraft. Some of the most tangible benefits are energy and maintenance cost savings, zero tailpipe emissions and lower noise emissions. Some of the higher-level benefits include lower airfare for passengers and increased accessibility to smaller airports.”
Ampaire, based in Hawthorne, California, is focused on bringing electric powertrain technology to regional aircraft of 19 seats or less. Founded in 2016, the company cur- rently uses a Cessna 337 Skymaster
of the aircraft performance and inte- gration approach, with special atten- tion paid to safety considerations. This also supports our growing expertise in working with regulatory bodies to certify the modifications.”
Results from the company’s flight- testing program have been benefi- cial for the team in their continued development of the product, as well as proof of concept for existing and future customers – a list headlined by Mokulele Airlines. The Electric EEL is currently going through the paces in Hawaii, demonstrating the value of electric aviation in a location with challenging geography. The “island- hopping” f lights that the airline makes in Caravans are ones that the company
operating cost reduction of approxi- mately 30 percent in this configura- tion and is currently being tested in conjunction with NASA in a FAA Part 23 capacity.
magniX
magniX, based near Seattle, began as a General Electric motor R&D com- pany in 2009 and transitioned exclu- sively to aerospace in 2017 after the team identified a strong opportunity with its technology. The research team found that its low RPM, high-quality, redundant motor with a high-power- to-weight ratio and advanced power electronics was ideal for aircraft.
Among the company’s current Electric Propulsion Unit (EPU) of- ferings are the magni250 (375 horse- power/280 kW) and magni500 (751 horsepower/560 kW). The magni250 is suitable as a standalone propul- sion system for smaller aircraft or a distributed propulsion system on a larger aircraft. The magni500 is built for “middle mile” aircraft like Cara- vans and King Airs. The company is currently expecting FAA Part 33 Cer- tification on the products in the first half of 2022.
The company’s two EPUs are “di- rect to propeller,” meaning they are designed to provide the required torque and power turning at only 1900 RPM, the same speed as the pro- peller. This eliminates the need for heavy maintenance-prone gearboxes. Another EPU benefit is that it’s sealed from both ends with an advanced air filter, which reduces FOD and other contaminants from entering. It also contains a proprietary closed-loop liquid cooling system that allows for full performance no matter the envi- ronmental conditions and full torque availability, even when operating at very low RPM. The EPU provides the same levels of torque and power no matter the altitude or temperature as it is not impacted by air density.
magniX’s design and testing program was highlighted in 2019 with the flight of the world’s first all-electric commercial aircraft, a DH2 Beaver operated by Harbour Air of British Columbia Canada. Another milestone was achieved in 2020 with
Ampaire Electric EEL
called The Electric EEL in its flight test program. This hybrid-electric test platform, which utilizes both electric and traditional powertrains (a 160- kW electric power unit up front and a 300-horsepower Continental IO-550 in the back), had its first flight in Septem- ber of 2020. The aircraft’s milestone was preceded by a previous prototype outfitted with a conventional engine in front and an electric power unit in the rear, which first took to the skies in 2019.
Nzeukou stated, “Our retrofit [of existing aircraft] approach is much more involved than just developing the powertrain; it requires a deep analysis
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sees much potential to electrify due to the reduced costs and other direct benefits (such as lower emissions).
In the future, Ampaire also intends to partner with OEMs to replace con- ventional engines with zero-emission or low-emission technologies. “By pair- ing our innovative technology with proven airframe designs [rather than creating a clean sheet aircraft model], we reduce risks and maximize benefits for our customers,” said Nzeukou.
To this point, the company is cur- rently working on a low-emission, hybrid electric variant of the DHC- 6 Twin Otter. The team expects an