On Nov. 13, 2024, Common Atomics Aeronautical Programs, Inc. (GA-ASI), accomplished its last qualification check for its new 200-horsepower heavy gas engine at its El Mirage, California, flight facility. The Heavy Gasoline Engine (HFE) 2.0 is a extremely dependable low-maintenance engine with a 40 % improve in service life offering longer maintenance-free operational intervals. The engine will present the horsepower and electrical energy required to satisfy the demanding efficiency wants of the brand new Grey Eagle 25M for Multi-Area Operations (MDO).
The three-week qualification check of the HFE 2.0 engine is aligned with the Federal Aviation Administration’s endurance check necessities (FAA 14 CFR 33.49) because the FAA’s main efficiency customary for engines for use in industrial aviation. During the last 18 months, HFE 2.0 excelled in strenuous sturdiness testing that included 2,450 full energy cycles simulating excessive stress situations throughout three in depth check profiles of 200, 400, and 651 hours. Moreover, the engine accomplished 50 hours of flight testing throughout the flight envelope.
“This check is the end result of the in depth sturdiness and flight check program for the HFE 2.0 engine,” stated GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “It’s been nice to see the excellent check outcomes which have validated the design and improvement of the HFE 2.0 engine we’ve labored on so passionately for the previous seven years and to carry this world-class engine to the Grey Eagle fleet.”
GA-ASI and its Common Atomics Europe affiliate partnered with international leaders in high-performance engines — supported by propulsion expertise innovator Cosworth — to develop an engine on the corporate’s internally funded analysis and improvement program. GA-ASI additionally introduced in Common Atomics Electromagnetic Programs to design and construct the engine’s twin brushless generator, which is able to dramatically cut back area upkeep and is designed to be a drop-in alternative for the present generator. The improved generator will ship over 50 % extra electrical energy to help newly obtainable payloads for the MDO mission.
After completion of the FAA engine endurance check, subsequent steps name for the U.S. Military certification course of to permit authorization of the HFE 2.0 to be used on the present fleet of GA-ASI’s Grey Eagle Prolonged Vary (GE ER) Unmanned Plane System (UAS) as a alternative for the 180-horsepower engine that’s reaching its finish of life. HFE 2.0 can also be the cornerstone of the modernized Grey Eagle 25M (GE 25M) UAS at the moment being produced below a U.S. Military-funded program to help future MDO UAS missions.
About GA-ASI
Common Atomics Aeronautical Programs, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of Common Atomics, is a number one designer and producer of confirmed, dependable RPA techniques, radars, and electro-optic and associated mission techniques, together with the Predator® RPA collection and the Lynx® Multi-mode Radar. With greater than eight million flight hours, GA-ASI gives long-endurance, mission-capable plane with built-in sensor and knowledge hyperlink techniques required to ship persistent situational consciousness. The corporate additionally produces a wide range of sensor management/picture evaluation software program, gives pilot coaching and help companies, and develops meta-material antennas.
For extra info, go to www.ga-asi.com
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