Loganair and Heart partner on UK electric flight, while magniX and NASA unveil US e-test aircraft

UK regional airline Loganair is to partner with emerging Swedish aircraft maker Heart Aerospace to explore potential uses for hybrid-electric aircraft. Through their alliance, the two will establish use cases across the airline’s UK network focusing on Heart’s evolving ES-30, a 30-seat aircraft which the company expects to enter service by the early 2030s. The companies will engage with the Scottish and UK governments and airports to advocate the benefits of electric-powered flights, and the airline will join Heart’s industry advisory board, members of which include airlines, airports, aircraft lessors and governments. Meanwhile, in a new test programme in the US involving electric powertrain manufacturer magniX and NASA, two of the four engines on a De Havilland Dash 7 commuter plane will be replaced with electric motors to help evolve hybrid-electric propulsion for use on large turboprop aircraft.          

Glasgow-based Loganair serves a network of more than 30 destinations across the UK and additional points in Ireland, Norway and Denmark with a fleet of 44 aircraft, ranging from nine-seat Britten-Norman Islanders and 19-seat De Havilland Twin Otters to 49-passenger Embraer ERJ jets and 70-seat ATR 72-600 turboprops. The partnership with Heart introduces the ES-30 as a future option, with a fully electric zero emissions range of 200 kilometres, an extended hybrid flying range of 400 kilometres with up to 30 passengers, and capacity to fly up to 800 kilometres with 25 passengers, with all operating settings including typical airline reserves. 

“This is a very exciting and significant moment for Loganair and for the future of sustainable UK regional flying,” said the airline’s CEO, Luke Farajallah. “This exclusive collaboration with Heart Aerospace brings together two organisations who share a passion to see aviation emissions reduce in a realistic and meaningful way, and we definitely see the ES-30 as being a strong contender to emerge as one of the leaders in this space.

“We are very proud of our environmental work and achievements to date, and we see this as the next logical step along the path to a greener future for UK regional aviation.”

He said the airline’s newly appointed Director of Safety and Sustainability, Rebecca Borresen, who commences with the company on 1 October, would be heavily involved in the partnership with Heart.

Simon Newitt, President and CCO of Heart, welcomed the partnership with Loganair. “We’re thrilled to partner with them to bring cleaner air travel to the UK,” he said. “This collaboration is an important step in our mission to make air travel more sustainable and we look forward to bringing clean and convenient solutions to Loganair in support of its ambitious goal to achieve net zero emissions across its operations by 2040.”

In the US, electric propulsion developer magniX has revealed a De Havilland DHC-7 (Dash 7) demonstrator aircraft in special livery as part of NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration programme (EPFD) to support the introduction of both battery electric and hybrid electric aircraft into commercial fleets by 2030.

The Everett, Washington-based magniX has been progressing the project since 2021 when it secured a $74.3 million contract from NASA and is leading the conversion of the four-engine Dash 7 from Canadian operator Air Tindi to a testbed for electric motors.

Initially, magniX will replace one of the Dash 7’s turbine engines with a magni650 electric propulsion unit, with a second to follow in the next stage of the programme. They will be powered by a large battery energy storage system.

In February magniX achieved the Preliminary Design Review, which established the design for the installation of electric powertrains on the Dash 7, and in April a magni650 electric engine completed the first phase of testing at NASA’s Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT) facility in Ohio. Baseline tests were then performed with the aircraft to generate performance data ahead of the installation of the magniX electric powertrains.

“As EPFD makes outstanding progress, magniX and NASA are proving the feasibility of electric propulsion for commercial flight,” said magniX CEO Reed Macdonald. On a typical regional flight in the US, extending about 200 miles (322 kilometres), the company estimated that a hybrid aircraft would achieve fuel savings of up to 40%.

Ben Loxton, magniX VP of the EPFD programme and Electric Storage Systems, said the project with NASA would also demonstrate that sustainable flight was achievable using existing aerospace technology. “The programme is accelerating its readiness for entry into service, prioritising safety and the highest standards of performance.”

Robert Pearce, Associate Administrator of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, said EPFD would not only deliver more sustainable aviation, but also greater air transport access to more communities in the US. “Hybrid electric propulsion on a megawatt scale accelerates US progress toward its goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” he said, “benefiting all who rely on air transportation every day.”

Image: Heart Aerospace’s ES-30 in Loganair livery

Tony Harrington

Correspondent

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