The project was successfully kicked off in January 2023 with a two-day meeting in Turin, attended by 21 partners and the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU). This meeting set the stage for presenting the project’s ambitions, alignment with European targets, and the demonstration strategy focused on several rig tests in the first phase of Clean Aviation.
The main progress and achievements can be summarized as follows:
Propulsion Architecture
-At propulsion System the activities started with requirements definition enabling flow-down to sub-system and component levels. Trade-off and design studies for key components, such as the thermal management system, power gearbox, control system, electrical drive, modular DC/DC converter, electrical power distribution unit and fuel cell system, were initiated. Models to simulate propulsion system behaviour for the different disciplines such as performance, structures and dynamics, 3D integrated geometry, have been created and are supporting the design of the propulsion system. While the project progressed, the mentioned main technologies matured in design phases, progressing from Conceptual Design Review (CDR) to Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and allowing the architecture to achieve the preliminary design review milestone in 2026. Furthermore all the Electric Power Flow components achieved also Detailed Design review.
Engine & Propulsion Technologies
- Related to the thermal engine work package, the activities progressed on PCU and combining gearbox design maturation where specifically the clutch system has been identified as key element to focus on for next phase (i.e. detailed design review and demonstration campaign). The team achieved PDR for the modifications to the GE Catalyst turboprop required for the integration into the hybrid-electric propulsion system.
Electrical Drive and Fuel Cell System
- Within the electrical drive area, progress continued on the advanced motor drive, DC-DC converter, control system, and EPDU. The design phases achieved the Detailed Design Review (DDR) and the manufacturing has been launched and as well test activities at component level started.
The fuel cell system has progressively matured throughout the project through design development, interface definition, safety assessment, and integration activities. The development and research work within this work package has now been completed, and the fuel cell modules supporting the MW fuel cell test campaign have been fully built, integrated, and tested. In parallel, the test bench modifications for the MW fuel cell system were successfully finalized and assessed during the test campaign, while system-level design adaptations were incorporated into the procurement and design freeze of the spare modules. Further testing activities will be performed before the end of the project to consolidate system maturity and support final validation.
Propulsion System Demonstration
- AMBER demonstration planning identified three main rig tests to prepare the integration of the Propulsion System Demonstrator: mechanical power flow, electrical power flow, and control system testing. Since project start, high-level test goals and requirements for the main ground demonstrations have been defined, together with the related facility modifications, ICD activities, and testing requirements for the electrical driveline and fuel cell systems.
As the project matured, test and validation activities performed within the individual work packages progressively fed the main demonstration streams. In particular, the concluding tests now in preparation are the clutch test for the mechanical power flow stream, the integrated power electronics test for the electrical power flow stream, and the control system test, supporting the step-by-step integration of the AMBER propulsion system and the achievement of the project TRL objectives.
Cooperation with EASA & Aircraft Integration
-Since the beginning of the project, Avio Aero has successfully collaborated with EASA to align on the certification impact of the new configuration and advance the related gap analysis. In parallel, collaboration with the airframer and with other Clean Aviation projects has supported continuous coordination on aircraft-level integration and the evolution of the aircraft concept. Significant results include the release of the final AMBER multi-MW Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System configuration addressing UERA propulsive requirements and EASA review of the certification gap analysis.
