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Ampaire Begins Ground Testing on Hybrid-Electric Cessna Grand Caravan

Earlier this month, Los Angeles-based Ampaire powered up its hybrid-electric Eco Caravan, a Cessna Grand Caravan flight test aircraft. The new Eco Caravan is expected to carry on its first flight in the second half of 2022.
Ampaire starts ground tests of its Eco Caravan 9 photos
Photo: Ampaire
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Founded in 2016, Ampaire is a company that plans to pave the way for electric flight. Three years after its establishment, its Electric EEL technology testbed aircraft (a modified twin-engine Cessna 337 Skymaster) successfully took to the skies for the first time.

Since then, Ampaire has achieved several milestones, successfully putting not one but two EEL aircraft in the air. One of them operates as a testbed for the Department of Energy’s ARPA-E advanced programs unit, while the other is being used as the company’s market survey demonstrator.

Ampaire has been working on a Cessna Grand Caravan equipped with a hybrid-electric propulsion system as well. The modified aircraft, dubbed the Eco Caravan, is based on the technology and heritage of the Electric EEL and was designed to reduce emissions and make current fleets cost-efficient.

Compared to the fuel burned by the original turbine-powered Grand Caravan, the company says that its Eco Caravan can provide game-changing fuel savings of up to 70 percent on short-haul routes and more than 50 percent on long-haul flights. Furthermore, if it uses sustainable aviation fuel, it is possible to reduce emissions by up to 90 percent.

Ampaire is currently seeking approval from FAA to have the Eco Caravan certified. The company hopes its upgraded aircraft will enter service by 2024. It’s still a long way to go, but the successful ground tests are a major step that’s getting Ampaire one step closer to achieving its goals.

“Powering up a new propulsion system, one that is fully integrated into a flyable aircraft, is a tremendously exciting milestone for Ampaire,” said CEO and co-founder Kevin Noertker.

“We expect the Eco Caravan to be the first in a series of hybrid electric upgrades for a number of aircraft models that will transform the industry by lowering emissions and costs.”

Once ground testing is complete, the next step for the Eco Caravan is to soar to the skies. Its maiden flight is expected to take place later this year.
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Editor's note: Gallery includes images of Ampaire's EEL aircraft.

 Download: Ampaire Powers Up Hybrid-Electric Eco Caravan (PDF)

About the author: Florina Spînu
Florina Spînu profile photo

Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature.
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