RTX leads hybrid-electric aviation push with advanced power systems testing

Following the successful completion of integrated laboratory testing as part of the EU’s Clean Aviation SWITCH project, RTX’s Collins Aerospace business has advanced a key milestone in the development of hybrid-electric aircraft technologies. The tested hybrid-electric powertrain subsystems will now be transferred to Airbus for the next phase of aircraft-level integration and validation. At Airbus’s facilities, engineers will carry out aircraft-level integration tests focused on validating the overall aircraft design, battery interfaces and energy-management systems. The milestone marks the most extensive integrated systems test performed at The Grid, Collins Aerospace’s advanced electric power systems laboratory in Rockford, Illinois, since its opening in 2023. According to Kristin Smith, vice president of Electric Power Systems at Collins Aerospace, the achievement demonstrates how combining RTX’s technology expertise with close industry collaboration can accelerate the development of hybrid-electric propulsion systems capable of significantly reducing fuel consumption in next-generation aircraft. New hybrid-electric demonstrator targets more efficient short-haul flights The SWITCH programme is focused on increasing the efficiency of future short- and medium-haul aircraft by combining hybrid-electric propulsion with Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine technology. The demonstrator integrates two megawatt-class motor generators and motor controllers developed by Collins Aerospace, creating a powertrain designed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. The testing campaign at The Grid brought together several industry partners. Pratt & Whitney led powertrain system integration and supplied the hybrid-electric engine controller, Airbus provided the interface controller connecting the propulsion system to the aircraft’s energy-management system, while GKN Aerospace delivered the high-voltage wiring architecture required for the integrated system. Following the completion of the SWITCH testing campaign, The Grid will serve as the testing platform for the Airbus-led LEIA (Large ScalE Integration Demonstrator of Hybrid Electrical Architecture) project. In the initiative, Collins Aerospace will act as the technical lead for energy sources, supporting the development of key technologies for future hybrid-electric short- and medium-range aircraft. Backed by the Clean Aviation programme, LEIA is focused on advancing critical aircraft systems and components, including high-voltage power generation and electrical distribution. Collins expands role in Airbus-led hybrid-electric aircraft programme As part of the LEIA demonstrator, Collins Aerospace will contribute a range of advanced electric aircraft technologies designed to improve system efficiency, reliability and passenger experience. The company will provide four scalable electric motor-generators, electronic controllers, power distribution systems, as well as cabin pressure and ventilation control technologies. Collins’ facility in Nördlingen, Germany, will supply solid-state power controllers and power distribution panels aimed at replacing traditional mechanical circuit breakers and relays, reducing aircraft weight while improving reliability. Testing for LEIA will be conducted across multiple Collins locations, including The Grid in Rockford, Illinois, alongside facilities across Europe in Toulouse, Frankfurt, Cork, Rome and Solihull. Clean Aviation sees the SWITCH and LEIA initiatives as key steps towards making hybrid-electric short- and medium-range aircraft a reality. Pierre Durel, Project Officer at Clean Aviation, said the programmes demonstrate the importance of international collaboration in advancing future aviation technologies, highlighting their role as “essential building blocks” for the industry. He added that the organisation is looking forward to the outcomes of the demonstration tests scheduled for 2027, which are expected to provide further insights into the performance and potential of hybrid-electric aircraft systems.Recommended ArticlesGet the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Bojan Stojkovski is a freelance journalist based in Skopje, North Macedonia, covering foreign policy and technology for more than a decade. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, ZDNet, and Nature.