Thu, Jul 18, 2024
400 kW of Power Is a Notable Improvement in Sustainable Aviation Power
VerdeGo Aero has taken the sheet off its VH-4T turbine hybrid-electric powerplant, offering the industry at large a 400-kilowatt unit aimed at a variety of aircraft applications.
VerdeGo cut its teeth on the original 185-kilowatt VH-3 hybrid powerplant, and after 7 years of development and enhancement, the VH-4T is ready to see the light of day. Full-scale testing using one of the engines began in late 2023, with a flightworthy prototype in the works under a US Air Force Small Business Innovation Research Phase II effort for AFWERX. VerdeGo says that it's already begun collaborating with Pratt & Whitney to use their PW206/PW207 engine series in the VH-4T hybrid.
“Hybrid-electric propulsion has the potential to enable improvements in performance and fuel efficiency for a wide array of future aircraft applications,” said Scott McElvaine, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “Our collaboration with VerdeGo is helping to accelerate the application of this technology, which we are also advancing across multiple RTX demonstrator programs.”
“Hybrid-electric propulsion has the potential to enable improvements in performance and fuel efficiency for a wide array of future aircraft applications,” said Scott McElvaine, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “Our collaboration with VerdeGo is helping to accelerate the application of this technology, which we are also advancing across multiple RTX demonstrator programs.”
The firm isn't going to rest on its laurels here, though. Another design is in the works to provide more than one megawatt of power, slotting in on the high end above the 185kW and 400kW VH series.
“We are seeing strong market demand across a variety of new electric aircraft configurations,” said David Eichstedt, VerdeGo’s VP of Product Management. “400 kW seems to be a sweet spot for 5-7 passenger air taxis, eCTOL or eSTOL aircraft that carry up to about 9 passengers, and cargo drones that need to carry over 1000 lb of payload.”
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