FARNBOROUGH—Boeing has selected Safran to provide the electrical power generation system for the airframer's X-66A aircraft which is in development as part of NASA's Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project.
The Safran Electrical & Power system, consisting of a variable frequency generator and its associated control unit, will be adapted to integrate with the Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan that has also been selected for the aircraft, which was first reported by Aviation Week during the 2023 Paris Air Show.
Safran says the design of the 100 kW-plus power system will enable a reduction in hydro-mechanical losses of close to 50%, “resulting in significant fuel burn and carbon emission savings.”
Safran’s selection is the latest supplier to be announced by Boeing for the X-66A, work on which began in earnest earlier in 2024. With flight tests starting in 2028, the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator program is focused on the potential efficiency benefits of a low-drag truss-braced wing. This Boeing-built unit will be mounted on the crown of a modified MD-90, replacing the aircraft’s low-mounted conventional wing.
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