The main impact of the project will be related to the introduction of a really marketable solution to bring GA in the hybrid vehicles arena. Hybrid solution is today the most realistic intermediate way to step from gasoline operated powerplants to full electric systems offering the same performances, comparable initial acquisition costs and weights but featuring a more-than-acceptable cost saving in operations.
The H3PS project will contribute to the main EU challenges in transportation sector, particularly leadership position of its aeronautics industry and reliable and sustainable air transport system. The project will allow broadening the horizons of knowledge in the field of parallel hybrid propulsion systems of GA aircraft. By developing electrical components, including a parallel hybrid drive system for GA segment, the project will introduce the advanced technologies for all-electric aircraft and thus stimulating innovation.
breakthrough technologies for the medium term
the H3PS consortium is determined to design the world’s most powerful parallel hybrid powertrain for an aircraft. “Breakthrough” concept will be achieved by demonstrating the feasibility of a power scalability for up to 11 seats airplanes.
Impact on climate
H3PS will allow at least 20% reduction of the taxi and takeoff noise and emissions compared with the existing General Aviation aircraft engines (170 to 190hp class). Also, the careful approach on the flight profiles to be developed will be directly translated in up to 10-13% fuel saving and 20-30% emissions reduction on certain mission profiles. However, recent research on parallel hybrid powered UAVs and GA aircraft even demonstrated that 40~50% saving of the fuel consumption is possible, especially for short mission profiles with flight endurance less than 1 hour [5,6]. For this reason, especially for the instruction mission profiles of the flight schools, significant emission savings can be expected in the GA sector. Once the technology is ready and an upscaling of the powertrain would be possible to 11-19 seats aircraft, the impact of innovation will jump over to the business aviation sector.
enhance the competitiveness of the European aviation industry
Eectric aviation is the most vital research field in aviation worldwide. Especially in the USA, R&D activities have been carried out across the UAV [7], the GA [8] to the commercial transport sectors [9,10,11,12], just to name a few examples. H3PS will contribute to the whole European GA industry to continue being strongly competitive, by delivering better products worldwide, i.e. parallel hybrid-electrical propulsion system GA aircraft and, increase his share on global market.
enhance the safety of civil aviation
The development of the technologies proposed will allow to increase the safety of GA. The enhanced level of safety derives from integration of electric propulsion motor which is typically more reliable than a petrol powered engine and from relying on two separate power sources. In case of failure of either power source, the system will still allow the aircraft to land safely with functioning propulsion.
new market opportunities for the European aviation industry
As example, since electric propulsion in the aircraft provides silent take-off, smaller airports near city centres could be reopened without concerns of emissions and pollutants from transport. In that case, hybrid aircraft could be used not only for recreational flying but also for commercial flights, contributing to safe and sustainable mobility.