Electric motor completes first phase of testing —

Kimberley Joy, mechanical technician, and Phil Korpeck, test engineer, at the NASA testing facility. (Photos by NASA/Sara Lowthian)

magniX, an Everett, Washington-based company developing an electric aircraft motor, has successfully completed the first phase of testing at the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT) facility in Sandusky, Ohio. The testing focused on high voltage (800V) operations and thermal performance, according to company officials, who said the results confirmed the magni650 electric motor's capabilities at altitudes of up to 27,500 feet. The testing is being carried out as part of NASA's Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) program.

NASA awarded magniX a £74.3 million contract in 2021 as an EPFD partner, which is aimed at accelerating electric aviation, company officials said.

Under the program, magniX is retrofitting a de Havilland Dash 7 with a magniX electric powertrain. The Preliminary Design Review (PDR) to establish the baseline design for the flight demonstration and retrofit of the Dash 7 was completed in February 2024. The next phase of testing at the NEAT facility will begin in June and focus on expanding the operating envelope for altitude, power, and temperature, company officials said.

That testing "will further the understanding" of the performance and reliability of magniX's electric powertrain in all conditions it would encounter in flight, officials added.

For more information: magnix.aero[1]

References

1. ^ magnix.aero (www.magnix.aero)