Aerospace

RTX advances hybrid-electric propulsion for Dash 8 Testing

RTX has completed a crucial milestone in its hybrid-electric flight demonstrator programme, successfully completing a rated power test of the demonstrator’s 1 megawatt (MW) electric motor built by Collins Aerospace.

The 1MW motor will be connected to a highly efficient thermal engine built by Pratt & Whitney as part of a hybrid-electric propulsion system that seeks to provide a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions over today’s most sophisticated regional turboprops. Collins and Pratt & Whitney are both RTX business units.

Collins unveils premium lie-flat business class suite for single-aisle aircraft(Opens in a new browser tab)

The 1MW motor will provide four times the power and twice the voltage, with half the heat loss and half the weight compared to Collins’ most cutting-edge electric motor generators now in flight. At Collins’ site in Solihull, England, the business is creating the motor, and the Institute for Aerospace Technology at the University of Nottingham is where it is being tested.

The propulsion system and batteries will be integrated on a Dash 8-100 experimental aircraft, with flight testing targeted to begin in 2024. The project is supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec.

Clean Aviation SWITCH Project to Advance Hybrid-Electric(Opens in a new browser tab)

The 1MW motor will also be a part of the Pratt & Whitney GTFTM hybrid-electric powertrain intended for the SWITCH project under the European Union’s Clean Aviation policy, in addition to the hybrid-electric flight demonstrator. The Grid, a $50 million electric power systems lab at Collins’ Rockford, Illinois, plant scheduled to open later this year, will host further testing.

Aerospace

Boeing’s Aurora Flight Sciences Expands Columbus Plant by 50,000 Sqft

Credit:Aurora Flight Sciences

Aurora Flight Sciences, a subsidiary of Boeing, has launched a significant expansion of its manufacturing facility near the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus, Mississippi.

This ambitious project will add 50,000 square feet of new space, renovate 40,000 square feet of the existing facility, and introduce advanced automation equipment, robotics, and non-destructive inspection technologies. mcas boeing enhancements will support the growing demand for Aurora’s aerospace systems business.

Since its establishment, Aurora Mississippi has specialized in the production of advanced composite components and assemblies for both military and commercial aircraft. The company first opened in 2005 at Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory in Starkville before relocating to its current site in Columbus two years later.

Initially occupying 21,000 square feet, the facility has since grown to encompass over 120,000 square feet, featuring cutting-edge manufacturing technologies such as automated fiber placement. Aurora’s latest expansion is a strategic investment aimed at increasing production capacity for composite components like boeing titanium used in executive jets and the MQ-25TM Stingray composite skins, a key project for its parent company, Boeing.

Additionally, the facility will produce components for NASA’s X-66 sustainable flight demonstrator aircraft, further diversifying its portfolio. Currently employing around 100 full-time staff in Mississippi, Aurora plans to hire more than 60 additional team members by the end of 2025.

Aurora’s expansion project underscores its commitment to Mississippi’s growing aerospace and advanced manufacturing sector. The company maintains strong partnerships with Mississippi State University (MSU) and East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), contributing to research, higher education, and workforce development in advanced manufacturing.

Additionally, Aurora actively supports local K-12 STEM education through summer camps and collaborates with high school vocational education programs. The expansion and renovation project will be carried out in phases over the next two years, with completion expected by 2026. This development marks a significant milestone in Aurora’s ongoing growth and its role in advancing aerospace manufacturing in Mississippi.