Cessna Skymaster Testbed to Serve as ARPA-E SCALEUP, E-Bird Programs

Ampaire's work in electrified aviation bore some fruit with NASA funding under its Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program.

The money, somewhat small in comparison to the kind of venture funding so often seen in the sustainable aviation field, is somewhat modest, perhaps more 'award' than actual booster funding. The Phase I award granted $150,000 for the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, mean to fund "fund sizing, architecture and other analytical studies over six months as a prelude to a potential Phase 2 award that would fund the system’s installation and testing on Ampaire’s Cessna Skymaster testbed," per Ampaire PR. If it were spent on airtime, the funding wouldn't be quite as useful, but $150,000 should be enough to pay for plenty of documentation and analysis without issue. 

The 'ARPA-E Bird' has been used for other government research programs before, flying under the DoE's ARPA-E advanced programs unit. Last November, the same aircraft made its way to the ARPA-E SCALEUP award to mature systems for eventual use on the company's 9-passenger hybrid Eco Caravan. Under the new NASA program, the plane would be equipped with a hybrid propulsion drivetrain in the nose, with an electric drive system in the rear for a true, multi-mode hybrid system. Should it bear out in practice, the design could make its way to general aviation, regional commuters, or even single-aisle jets. The AMP Drive sports 270 kilowatts, about half that of the AMP-H570 powering Ampaire's Eco-Caravan. The AMP-H270 combines a compression ignition engine from DeltaHawk, allowing it to run on Jet-A and SAF where available. 

“These wins from NASA and the DOE recognize Ampaire’s leadership in electrified aviation. They also recognize the near-term potential to field hybrid-electric aircraft that will revolutionize aviation by lowering emissions and the cost of travel,” said Ampaire CEO Kevin Noertker.

FMI: www.ampaire.com