Boeing has chosen Safran Electrical & Power to provide the electrical power generation system for the X-66 flight demonstrator, an integral part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project.
The collaboration announced at Farnborough Airshow on July 23, 2024, will include support for ground and flight tests, which are set to commence in 2028.
“We are very honored to further expand our thriving partnership with Boeing under this NASA program, and to develop breakthrough technologies for the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator,” said Bruno Bellanger, Executive Vice President of the Power division at Safran Electrical & Power.
Safran’s electrical power generation system features a variable frequency generator and its control unit. Adapted to integrate with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, this system delivers over 100kW of electrical power. According to the manufacturer, it offers a nearly 50% reduction in hydro-mechanical losses, translating to significant savings in fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
The X-66A, also known as the Transonic Truss-Braced Wing (TTBW) demonstrator aircraft, is part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator (SFD) program. This program aims to develop technologies necessary to advance net zero CO2 emissions in commercial aviation.
Based on a heavily modified McDonnell Douglas MD-90, the X-66A features extra-long, thin wings braced by diagonal struts, creating space to “eventually accommodate advanced propulsion systems that are limited by a lack of underwing space in today’s low-wing airplane configurations.”