Ampaire to test hybrid-electric aircraft in UK
27th April 2021 9:52 Europe/London
Hybrid-electric aircraft developer Ampaire is to demonstrate its testbed aircraft in the UK in two locations: the Orkney Islands and Exeter in the south-west.
The demo flights are to show airlines how Ampaire’s hybrid-electric propulsion system could work on smaller, regional aircraft.
The first stop is the Orkney Islands in Scotland for participation this summer in what’s known as SATE – Sustainable Aviation Test Environment – a programme supported by the UK government’s Future Flight Challenge.
Ampaire’s ‘Electric EEL’ – a Cessna 337 upgraded to hybrid-electric power
Ampaire’s demo aircraft is a Cessna 337 which has power units in the nose and the tail. It has been prepared for the Scottish flights, over water between Wick and Kirkwall, with specially painted wingtips to represent the tartan pattern of Highlands and Island Airports Limited (HIAL), which oversees SATE.