ATR to Lead Hybrid-Electric Aviation Projects Under EU’s Clean Aviation Program
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ATR, the world’s leading regional aircraft manufacturer, has been chosen by the European Union’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking to lead two pioneering projects that aim to transform the future of sustainable regional air travel.
Under the Ultra-Efficient Regional Aircraft (UERA) thrust, ATR will head initiatives focused on integrating hybrid-electric propulsion, advanced propeller systems, and electrified aircraft systems into regional aviation. By 2030, the company plans to achieve a global milestone: flying a hybrid-electric regional aircraft using an ATR 72-600 test bed.
The flagship project, HERACLES (Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft Concept for Low EmissionS), will design an ultra-efficient aircraft concept that combines hybrid-electric propulsion, high-performance batteries, and a thermal engine fully compatible with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel. These innovations will undergo flight testing through DEMETRA (Demonstrator of an Electrified Modern Efficient Transport Regional Aircraft), leveraging an ATR 72-600 as a flying test platform.
Industry leaders Safran, Collins Aerospace, and Pratt & Whitney Canada will collaborate alongside ATR and European research organizations, ensuring a strong international partnership.
“This is more than a technological demonstration—it’s a bold commitment to the future of regional aviation,” said Nathalie Tarnaud Laude, CEO of ATR, in a press release. “By flying the world’s first hybrid-electric regional aircraft by 2030, we aim to prove that sustainability and connectivity can advance together.”
The projects support Clean Aviation’s target of achieving up to 30% greater fuel efficiency and significantly reducing carbon emissions in next-generation regional aircraft. With an anticipated entry into service by 2035, the program aligns with the EU’s Green Deal and Fit for 55 climate objectives, reinforcing the aviation industry’s drive toward decarbonization.
Source: atr-aircraft.com
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