This Hybrid Engine Just Fired a Warning Shot

RTX completes a full-power hybrid-electric propulsion test, marking a major step toward cleaner regional air travel

18 Mar 2026

A hybrid-electric aircraft programme led by RTX has completed its first full-power ground test, marking a move from component research to integrated system validation.

The test took place on March 3 at a Pratt & Whitney Canada facility in Longueuil, Quebec. It brings together a 1-megawatt turboprop engine derivative and a 1-megawatt electric motor developed by Collins Aerospace, both driving a single propeller through a shared gearbox.

The system uses a 200-kilowatt-hour battery supplied by Swiss group H55 to power the electric motor during taxi, take-off and climb, while the thermal engine is used in cruise. The companies say the configuration could improve fuel efficiency by about 30 per cent compared with current regional turboprops.

Engineers involved in the programme said the project required new approaches to high-voltage operation, with electrical levels exceeding those used in existing commercial aircraft. This led to work on arc suppression and battery thermal management systems.

The team also collaborated with Canada’s National Research Council and the Innovative Vehicle Institute to develop a bespoke battery charger, as no commercial system was available to support an aviation battery of this size at the outset.

The demonstrator is backed by the Canadian federal government and the province of Quebec. Ground testing is expected to continue through 2026, followed by installation on a modified De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 aircraft at AeroTEC’s test facility in Moses Lake, Washington, ahead of a planned first flight.

RTX said insights from the programme are informing parallel efforts in hybrid-electric propulsion for short-haul jets and advanced air mobility platforms.

For regional airlines, where fuel costs are a central factor in route economics, the prospect of lower consumption could reshape fleet planning. However, certification, infrastructure and operating costs remain key questions as the technology moves towards flight testing.