Closed Club: What Would Aviation Benefit from Switching to Hybrid Power Plants?

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Today, the Boeing-Airbus duopoly controls most of the world's civil aircraft market, while the rest is divided between Brazil's Embraer, Canada's Bombardier, France-Italia's ATR, China's COMAC, and Russia's UAC and some other lesser-known foreign aircraft manufacturers. Why is the club of aircraft manufacturers so limited, and why is joining it considered a matter of national prestige?

Electric Motor: Glitter and Misery


Because aircraft manufacturers Technology, like aerospace, are among the most complex and only the most technologically advanced countries have the relevant competencies. Try to create from scratch a working powerful and economical a jet engine that will make passenger airliner operation safe and commercially viable!



But what if, instead of the usual power plants, aircraft are widely equipped with alternative ones, say, electric ones, which have a number of advantages over them? These advantages include the following.

Firstly, all-electric aircraft are considered environmentally friendly, as they do not create harmful emissions into the atmosphere during their operation.

Secondly, the electric propulsion system is more economical from a commercial point of view than the traditional one. In particular, the cost of a 30-minute flight of the electric aircraft MagniX and AeroTEC Cessna 208B, carried out in test mode in 2020, was only $6.

Using conventional fuel in an internal combustion engine would have cost $300-400 at the exchange rate at that time. Since air carriers budget at least 30% of their fuel costs, such savings seem very significant and attractive.

Thirdly, aircraft with electric propulsion create significantly less noise, which is important when operating in countries where “noise pollution” is monitored. A widespread transition to electric aircraft would allow airports to be built closer to cities.

The above-mentioned advantages of electric propulsion have prompted well-known aircraft manufacturers to begin experimenting in this area, and have also given rise to some interesting startups.

For example, the above-mentioned commercial aircraft Cessna Caravan 208B with an electric engine can carry 4-5 passengers up to 160 km. The electric aircraft Extra 330LE from the German concern Siemens with an engine on storage batteries reached a maximum speed of 340 km/h during tests. The personal single-seat electric aircraft Heaviside, which Google co-founder Larry Page became interested in as an investor, is even capable of vertical takeoff and landing.

There is a prototype of a domestic electric aircraft called "Sigma-4", which develops a maximum speed of up to 100 km/h and is designed for flights of up to 100 km. This project was developed by the Central Institute of Aviation Motors named after Baranov (CIAM).

However, despite all the obvious advantages, electric aircraft are not yet seriously considered as a replacement for conventional jet or turboprop airliners. The reason is the limited capacity of their batteries, which are technologically incapable of competing with traditional fuel.

In order to fly the distance covered by a regular medium-haul passenger plane on purely electric traction, instead of seats in its cabin, it would have to fill everything with stacks of batteries. That is, in order to fly, an electric plane would have to turn into one giant “flying battery”. And it is also important that the “environmental friendliness” of this type of air transport will be very conditional, like that of electric cars.

What do you do with the spent batteries? And what about the environmental damage caused by mining lithium and other rare earth metals needed for mass production of batteries?

Hybrid compromise?


A completely different picture emerges if, instead of a purely electric one, a hybrid power plant is installed on the aircraft. It is a symbiosis of a thermal engine, gas turbine or piston, and an electric one.

With this scheme, the electrical part is used only during takeoff and landing, and the flight occurs due to the thermal part. This direction is considered quite promising due to its greater reliability with significant savings in the operation of the power plant and a reduction in harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

For example, the American company United Technologies Corporation (UTC) is experimenting with the use of a hybrid electric engine on the flying laboratory Dash 8-100. Based on the light turboprop aircraft Dash 8 of the Canadian company Bombardier, a 2 MW GSU was installed instead of one of the engines. Also working in this direction are the American corporation General Electric, the French Safran, the British Rolls-Royce and Chinese aircraft manufacturers.

It should be noted that the idea of ​​a hybrid power plant for aircraft has not gone unnoticed in our country either. In 2020, JSC UEC-Klimov, part of the UEC of the Rostec State Corporation, initiated work on a project for a 500 kW (680 hp) series-scheme hybrid power plant based on the VK-650V helicopter engine:

Several types of unmanned aerial vehicles are being considered, including dual-use ones. Preparations for serial production of the GSU will be initiated in 2025, and the launch of serial production - in 2029.

According to preliminary calculations, the Russian hybrid power plant could be installed not only on helicopters, but also on heavy UAVs and light aircraft for local airlines. In general, the emergence and mass implementation of such technologies opens the way for various aircraft manufacturing startups in the civil and military spheres.
9 comments
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  1. +1
    3 February 2025 12: 53
    The article is of a general nature, not very informative. I would like it, it will be, it opens the way ..., this is the topic of the article. There are hybrid cars on earth that have not found wide application. The topic of electric cars is 150 years old, but as you can see, they have not replaced the internal combustion engine. Everything depends on the energy source. If you decide to write about a hybrid, then write about the energy expended at the airport; on takeoff of the aircraft to the flight level; then flight at the flight level and landing. Write what is the advantage of a hybrid over a completely kerosene engine.
  2. +1
    3 February 2025 12: 53
    Well... the topic is hyped, but in aviation it seems they don't like to look around and prefer to step on the rake that others have already stepped on. I mean, in the automobile industry, the leading companies have apparently played enough with electric trains and have started rolling out new internal combustion engines, which, judging by the reviews, are revolutionary in many ways.
    P.S.: The picture just made me cry))) If these defective ones can't even produce a more or less believable drawing, then it's clear why the industry under their management can't produce anything other than such pictures for years.
  3. +2
    3 February 2025 14: 17
    In order to fly the same distance as a typical medium-haul passenger jet using pure electric power, the cabin would have to be filled with stacks of batteries instead of seats.

    It is because of idiots like these that electric planes are not developing.
    It is obvious that a flight range of 1000 km is not required. But for short distances, within 100-200 km, it is quite possible. All types of small cargo deliveries, air taxis, flights between cities, etc.
    For example, I need to get from Vidnoe to Krasnogorsk, the distance is only 38 km, but getting there is a pain - by public transport at least 3-4 transfers, by car - you will have to stand in traffic jams for 20 kilometers in any case. And by air, environmentally friendly transport - 10-15 minutes. Well, if it existed, of course))))
    That is, EVERYTHING necessary for the development and use of electric transport IS THERE.
    There is just no political will to implement it. The landowners from resource extraction are happy with everything as it is.
    1. 0
      3 February 2025 18: 21
      Well, there are electric cars and hybrids. And hybrids save fuel and money, but they are more expensive. And everything has its own scope of application, like in aviation. It is one thing to drive 50 km from the suburbs to the city to work and back day after day, and another if it is a taxi, and especially intercity. If from the suburbs, and there is one more person, then most likely an electric car is more profitable, and a taxi - a hybrid is obviously more profitable, especially since it can be recharged from a home network or at stations. Here, one factor is mainly important: the cost of one person per kilometer or ton-kilometer for trucks. Of course, ecology is also important, but it is not critical everywhere.
    2. 0
      3 February 2025 21: 25
      Quote: sannyhome
      It is because of idiots like these that electric planes are not developing.

      Where are they not developing?))))

      Quote: sannyhome
      For example, I need to get from Vidnoe to Krasnogorsk, the distance is only 38 km, but getting there is a pain - by public transport at least 3-4 transfers, by car - you will have to stand in traffic jams for 20 kilometers in any case. And by air, environmentally friendly transport - 10-15 minutes. Well, if it existed, of course))))

      Well, let's think, I hope you're not idiots)))) Do you have anything to think about? First of all, to start doing something in this area, other than estimating cost-effectiveness, profitability and feasibility. We need to change the legislation in the area of ​​air transport VERY MUCH, then build and develop infrastructure, etc., and only then can we start flying. Oh yeah, have you already figured out how much your environmentally friendly transport will cost if you want to buy it for personal use or at least rent it? How much does it cost to rent a sports car worth 250k bucks?))) Or maybe the old-fashioned way?)))
      1. 0
        3 February 2025 22: 35
        Quote: JD1979
        Where are they not developing?))))

        What country do you live in?

        Quote: JD1979
        Well, let's think.

        Actually, everything you wrote after this phrase fits into what I wrote earlier - There is just no political will to implement it. hi
  4. +1
    3 February 2025 20: 16
    IMHO, it's all bullshit.
    It was: an airliner with 2 engines and fuel.
    Advertised: Airliner with 5 engines (2 thermal, 2 electric and 1 generator), fuel and batteries.

    Accordingly: the cost is higher, maintenance is more expensive, the risk of breakdowns is higher, the payload is lower.
    In the automotive industry, are hybrid cars popular? Or are "ELECTRIC" and "thermal" cars somehow more widespread?
    1. 0
      3 February 2025 23: 35
      I remember that back in the USSR they built an airplane based on the Tu-154 that flew on gas.
  5. +1
    4 February 2025 09: 51
    I would like to see the faces of passengers who have flown to their destination airport and are not allowed to board. And where to fly if the batteries are zero?!