On Could 16, 2024, Basic Atomics Aeronautical Programs, Inc. (GA-ASI) accomplished sturdiness testing for its new 200-horsepower heavy gas engine at its El Mirage, California, flight facility. The Heavy Gas Engine (HFE) 2.0, that includes a new GA-ASI-designed gear field and twin brushless mills from Basic Atomics Electromagnetic Programs (GA-EMS), is designed to convey the engine and all ancillary elements to 2,500 hours between scheduled overhauls and drastically improve maintenance-free operational durations.
“Our HFE 2.0 engine is now the most effective heavy gas engine in aviation,” mentioned GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “Hats off to our Inside Analysis and Improvement group whose ingenuity and technical sophistication impressed the HFE 2.0 program, permitting us to develop a extra dependable and sturdy engine that additionally addresses diminishing manufacturing sources for aviation heavy gas engines and elements.”
The ultimate sturdiness take a look at simulated a full 2,500-hour engine life working the very best flight masses that would ever be seen within the discipline. The take a look at included situations simulating 1,250 full energy take-offs and climbs to high-cruising altitude, and over 200 hours of cruise in a worst-case generator loading situations.
The HFE 2.0 engine is being thought of by the U.S. Military to turn out to be the fleet substitute for the present 180-horsepower engine used on GA-ASI’s Grey Eagle Prolonged Vary (GE ER) Unmanned Plane System (UAS). HFE 2.0 can be the cornerstone of the modernized Grey Eagle 25M (GE 25M) UAS presently being produced beneath a U.S. Military-funded program to help future Multi-Area Operations (MDO) UAS missions.
GA-ASI and its affiliate Basic Atomics Europe partnered with international leaders in high-performance engines — supported by propulsion expertise innovator Cosworth — to develop an engine with elevated horsepower, sturdiness, and reliability. GA-ASI additionally introduced in GA-EMS to design and construct the engine’s twin brushless mills, which is able to dramatically scale back discipline upkeep and with the identical Measurement, Weight, and Energy (SWaP) of the prevailing brushed generator, will ship over 50 % extra electrical energy for brand new payloads and mission capabilities.
Ultimate 150-hour qualification testing is scheduled to be accomplished in September adopted by certification from the U.S. Military.
