NASA, GE Aerospace Modifies Electric Engine for Tech Demonstration

GE Aerospace has secured a NASA contract for Phase 2 of the Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core project, allowing it to continue its progress on developing an aircraft engine core demonstrator.

The aircraft engine supplier will support the U.S. space agency’s development of a hybrid electric demonstrator engine that will integrate electric motors and generators in a high-bypass commercial turbofan. 

Part of the CFM International Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines program, the modified Passport engine for the HyTEC project is not the first program focused on maturing technologies for more electric aircraft engines, GE Aerospace said.

Arjan Hegeman, general manager of future of flight technologies at GE Aerospace, said that the initiative is a critical research and development effort that could make hybrid electric commercial flight possible in the future.

Apart from working on the HyTEC initiative, GE Aerospace also partnered with the Defense Logistics Agency under a $422.8 million contract to supply components for the F101, F110 and F118 engines used in fighter and bomber jets.