At The Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Technical University of Łódź (PŁ), work has begun on the development of a hybrid-powered aircraft design for regional transport.

Researchers received 250,000 euros for the HE-ART (Mulit-MW Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System for Regional Aircraft) project, coordinated at PŁ by the university’s rector Prof Krzysztof Jóźwik, director of the Institute.

“Our participation will consist in the design and calculation of the propulsion system components. It will be a new, hybrid construction, more ecological, designed only for regional lines”, explains Prof Krzysztof Jóźwik, whose scientific team performed calculations and construction of the propulsion system for the world’s fastest X3 helicopter.

PŁ is one of 30 partners in the project, which brings together leading engine manufacturers Rolls Royce and Safran with aircraft manufacturers ATR, Airbus and Leonardo, as well as scientific institutions. The total budget for the HE-ART project, funded by the Horizon Europe Programme, is €60 million.