RTX's Pratt & Whitney Canada advances hybrid-electric technology development
Ground testing of flight-standard engine and propeller for RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator begins in Quebec
LONDON, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Farnborough International Airshow – Pratt & Whitney Canada today announced a new phase in the RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator project, with ground testing of the flight-standard propulsion system and propeller in Longueuil, Quebec. Following completion of the ground test, the hybrid-electric propulsion system will be installed on the De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 experimental aircraft, with the first flight expected in 2027. Pratt & Whitney is an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business.
"Assembling the final, flight-standard propulsion system brings us one step closer to proving hybrid-electric technology in flight," said Jean Thomassin, executive director, New Products and Services Introduction, Pratt & Whitney Canada. "We are advancing thermal engine and hybrid-electric technologies which could enhance fuel efficiency and performance for a wide range of future aircraft applications."
The hybrid-electric propulsion system combines an advanced Pratt & Whitney Canada thermal engine with a 1-megawatt electric motor and motor controller developed by RTX's Collins Aerospace, along with a battery system supplied by H55 S.A., a Swiss developer of certifiable aviation energy storage systems.
With the electric motor providing additional power during demanding flight phases such as takeoff and climb, the hybrid-electric architecture enables the propulsion system to operate more efficiently throughout the flight mission. The project aims to demonstrate up to 30% improved fuel efficiency for a typical 250-nautical-mile regional turboprop mission.
The RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator project has accelerated collaboration between leading aerospace industry companies and research institutions within Canada and abroad, including De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, GKN Aerospace, AeroTEC, Ricardo, the National Research Council of Canada and the Innovative Vehicle Institute.
The project is supported by the governments of Canada and Quebec. Additionally, the project's propulsion system verification phase is supported by Strix, the organization managing Canada's Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Technology (INSAT), with funding from the Government of Canada, as part of its fifth wave of innovative research projects.
Learn more about how RTX is developing transformative technologies in Canada here.
The RTX Hybrid-Electric Flight Demonstrator is targeting up to 30% improved fuel efficiency on a Dash 8-100 test aircraft.
About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units for military, commercial and civil aviation customers. Since 1925, our engineers have pioneered the development of revolutionary aircraft propulsion technologies, and today we support more than 90,000 in-service engines through our global network of maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities.
About RTX
With more than 180,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. With industry-leading capabilities, we advance aviation, engineer integrated defense systems for operational success, and develop next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2025 sales of more than $88 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
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SOURCE RTX
