On Could 16, 2024, Normal Atomics Aeronautical Methods, Inc. (GA-ASI) accomplished sturdiness testing for its new 200-horsepower heavy gasoline engine at its El Mirage, California, flight facility. The Heavy Gas Engine (HFE) 2.0, that includes a new GA-ASI-designed gear field and twin brushless turbines from Normal Atomics Electromagnetic Methods (GA-EMS), is designed to deliver the engine and all ancillary elements to 2,500 hours between scheduled overhauls and drastically improve maintenance-free operational durations.
“Our HFE 2.0 engine is now one of the best heavy gasoline engine in aviation,” stated GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “Hats off to our Inner Analysis and Improvement group whose ingenuity and technical sophistication impressed the HFE 2.0 program, permitting us to develop a extra dependable and sturdy engine that additionally addresses diminishing manufacturing sources for aviation heavy gasoline engines and elements.”
The ultimate sturdiness check simulated a full 2,500-hour engine life working the very best flight hundreds that would ever be seen within the discipline. The check included circumstances simulating 1,250 full energy take-offs and climbs to high-cruising altitude, and over 200 hours of cruise in a worst-case generator loading circumstances.
The HFE 2.0 engine is being thought-about by the U.S. Military to develop into the fleet substitute for the present 180-horsepower engine used on GA-ASI’s Grey Eagle Prolonged Vary (GE ER) Unmanned Plane System (UAS). HFE 2.0 can be the cornerstone of the modernized Grey Eagle 25M (GE 25M) UAS at present being produced underneath a U.S. Military-funded program to help future Multi-Area Operations (MDO) UAS missions.
GA-ASI and its affiliate Normal Atomics Europe partnered with world leaders in high-performance engines — supported by propulsion expertise innovator Cosworth — to develop an engine with elevated horsepower, sturdiness, and reliability. GA-ASI additionally introduced in GA-EMS to design and construct the engine’s twin brushless turbines, which can dramatically scale back discipline upkeep and with the identical Measurement, Weight, and Energy (SWaP) of the present brushed generator, will ship over 50 % extra electrical energy for brand new payloads and mission capabilities.
Closing 150-hour qualification testing is scheduled to be accomplished in September adopted by certification from the U.S. Military.