RTX's Collins Aerospace announces Clean Aviation HECATE project has achieved preliminary design review

Rhea-AI Summary

Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, announced that the European Union's Clean Aviation HECATE project has achieved Preliminary Design Review (PDR). The HECATE consortium, comprising multiple European aerospace industry partners, aims to develop new high-voltage distribution technologies for future hybrid-electric aircraft. Key achievements include:

• PDR completion for power conversion and secondary distribution systems by Collins
• PDR completion for primary distribution, power management systems, and cabling by Safran
• Definition of top-level project requirements and electrical distribution architecture
• On track to achieve TRL4 and Critical Design Review by year-end

The project targets demonstrating a 500kW hybrid-electric architecture in ground tests at TRL5 by 2025. This initiative is important for developing technologies to support higher voltages required for hybrid-electric aircraft, contributing to the aviation industry's efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

Positive

• Achieved Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for key project components
• On track to achieve TRL4 and Critical Design Review by year-end
• Targeting demonstration of 500kW hybrid-electric architecture by 2025
• Collaboration with major aerospace industry partners (Safran, Airbus, Leonardo)
• Potential for flight testing under Clean Aviation Phase 2 program

Negative

• None.

Program aims to develop new high-voltage distribution technologies for future hybrid-electric aircraft

LONDON, July 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Farnborough Air Show — Collins Aerospace, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, today announced the European Union's Clean Aviation HECATE project has achieved Preliminary Design Review (PDR). The HECATE consortium is comprised of multiple European aerospace industry partners, including Collins, Safran, Airbus Defence and Space, Leonardo and several universities. Collins, through its Applied Research & Technology organization and Power & Controls business, leads the project's steering committee, while Safran serves as technical coordinator.

HECATE, which stands for Hybrid-ElectriC regional Aircraft distribution TEchnologies, has accomplished a number of milestones toward its ultimate goal of demonstrating a 500kW hybrid-electric architecture in ground tests at TRL5 by 2025. In cooperation with the consortium partners, Collins has achieved PDR for the project's power conversion and secondary distribution systems, while Safran has achieved PDR for the primary distribution, power management systems and cabling. Airbus Defence & Space and Leonardo continue to provide the airframer perspective, supporting requirements and validation activities. All top-level project requirements, including the electrical distribution architecture, have been defined and the program is on track to achieve TRL4 and Critical Design Review by year's end.

"Hybrid-electric aircraft are a central pillar of the aviation industry's drive to reduce carbon emissions, yet in order for these aircraft to fly, they will require new distribution technologies that can support significantly higher voltages," said Mauro Atalla, senior vice president, Engineering & Technology for Collins. "Working together with our HECATE consortium partners, we're breaking new ground in the maturation of these critical, enabling technologies and progressing on schedule. Public-private partnerships like Clean Aviation are essential to bringing new, sustainable aviation technologies to market, and we look forward to flight testing HECATE under a potential Clean Aviation Phase 2 program."

"HECATE, targeting to develop a novel power distribution network, is at the core of a future hybrid-electric aircraft development where significantly higher voltages and electrical power have to be managed compared to conventional aircraft," said Costin-Ciprian Miglan, project officer for HECATE at Clean Aviation. "The project has achieved a very important milestone with the preliminary design reviews successfully passed for all primary and secondary distribution key sub-systems. This tremendous work is the result of the proactive cooperation of 37 partners across 10 European countries."

This work was funded by UK Research and Innovation under the UK government's Horizon Europe funding guarantee [grant number 10067978].

About Collins Aerospace 
Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, is a leader in integrated and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Our 80,000 employees are dedicated to delivering future-focused technologies to advance sustainable and connected aviation, passenger safety and comfort, mission success, space exploration and more.

About RTX
With more than 185,000 global employees, RTX pushes the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2023 sales of $69 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

About Clean Aviation
The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is the European Union's leading research and innovation programme for transforming aviation towards a sustainable and climate-neutral future. It is a European public-private partnership. The programme's disruptive clean aviation technologies will help reduce CO2 of short-medium range aircraft by no less than 30% and -50% for regional range aircraft.

For questions or to schedule an interview, please contact corporatepr@rtx.com

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SOURCE RTX

FAQ

What is the HECATE project announced by RTX's Collins Aerospace?

HECATE (Hybrid-ElectriC regional Aircraft distribution TEchnologies) is a Clean Aviation project led by Collins Aerospace, aiming to develop new high-voltage distribution technologies for future hybrid-electric aircraft. It involves multiple European aerospace industry partners and targets demonstrating a 500kW hybrid-electric architecture in ground tests by 2025.

What milestone has the HECATE project achieved for RTX in July 2024?

In July 2024, RTX's Collins Aerospace announced that the HECATE project has achieved Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for its power conversion, secondary distribution systems, primary distribution, power management systems, and cabling components.

What is the significance of the HECATE project for RTX and the aviation industry?

The HECATE project is significant for RTX and the aviation industry as it develops critical technologies for hybrid-electric aircraft, which are central to reducing carbon emissions. It supports higher voltage requirements for these aircraft and represents a key step in bringing sustainable aviation technologies to market.

What are the next steps for the HECATE project involving RTX's Collins Aerospace?

The next steps for the HECATE project involving RTX's Collins Aerospace include achieving TRL4 and Critical Design Review by the end of the year, followed by demonstrating a 500kW hybrid-electric architecture in ground tests at TRL5 by 2025. There's also potential for flight testing under a future Clean Aviation Phase 2 program.