Ampaire
Ampaire is an American aircraft manufacturer startup based in Hawthorne, California.
Ampaire is an American aircraft manufacturer startup based in Hawthorne, California.

History
The company developed the Electric EEL, based on a Cessna 337 Skymaster (a push-pull aircraft) with a piston engine replaced by an electric motor powered by a battery, in a parallel hybrid configuration. The demonstrator first flew on 6 June 2019.In 2020, Scottish regional carrier Loganair trialled the Electric EEL with 70% fuel savings for short hops and 50% for longer flights of 50-250 miles (80-400 km).
In February 2021, online booking platform Surf Air Mobility attempted to acquire Ampaire, but this was abandoned by April 2022.
By then, ground tests of its Eco Caravan, a hybrid-electric Grand Caravan, were under way, towards a first flight in the second half of 2022 and service entry in 2024, as a retrofit with a STC.The parallel hybrid architecture does not require recharging after each flight, to avoid being dependent on charging infrastructure. Ampaire is considering for 2025 or 2026 a 19-passenger Eco Otter SX based on the De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter with four motors instead of two turboprops. Ampaire next step would be a Dash 8 or ATR type, and ultimately a clean-sheet Tailwind with a propulsive ducted fan for boundary-layer ingestion.On 18 November 2022, Ampaire flew its Eco-Caravan maiden flight: the hybrid electric aircraft uses a RED A03 diesel engine to reduce fuel consumption by 70% on shorter trips to 50% on longer ones, retaining the Grand Caravan payload capabilities with range improved to 1,100 nmi (2,000 km); supplemental type certificate (STC) is targeted for 2024.The smaller 270 kW (360 hp) AMP-H270 powertrain uses a DeltaHawk DH180 diesel engine, providing a 45% cruise efficiency gain over a conventional combustion engine and double the efficiency of comparable gas turbines.

References
External links
Official website