https://simpleflying.com/hybrid-electric-cessna-337-alaska/
Retrofitted Hybrid-Electric Cessna 337 To Make Historic Flight To Alaska
Retrofitted Hybrid-Electric Cessna 337 To Make Historic Flight To Alaska
By
Matthew Austin Ryan
Published 3 days ago

Ampaire's Eco EEL will make a historic flight from California to Alaska for
a ceremony on August 12.
Ampaire Electric EEL #2 in Flight
Photo: Ampaire
Summary

Launch Alaska plans to welcome Ampaire's converted hybrid-electric
aircraft to Fairbanks International Airport on August 12, marking the first
deployment of its kind in Alaska.
Ampaire is a California-based company dedicated to developing electric
air travel technology and is known for its Electric EEL, which previously
held the record for the longest non-stop flight by a hybrid-electric
aircraft.
Ampaire has a strong partnership with Launch Alaska and has recently
announced plans to acquire Talyn Air, allowing the company to expand into
the defense, drone, and eVTOL sectors.

Launch Alaska, Alaska’s first climate tech deployment accelerator program,
is planning to welcome its first converted hybrid-electric aircraft to
Alaska on August 12 in a ceremony at Fairbanks International Airport.

The aircraft, developed by Ampaire, Inc., is a converted hybrid-electric
Cessna 337 that the company calls an Electric EEL. The EEL is a six-seat
aircraft with an electric motor and battery-pack drivetrain that assists a
conventional combustion engine.

The event on August 12th will include the Department of Energy Advanced
Research Projects Agency–Energy, as well as representatives from Launch
Alaska. Executives from Ampaire will also be at the ceremony, as well as
several elected officials.
Who is Ampaire

Ampaire is a relatively new company, based in California, that was started
in 2016. The company is dedicated to developing technology that makes
electric air travel possible. In addition to its Cessna 337-based Electric
EEL, Ampaire is also currently developing a Cessna Caravan-based Eco Caravan
model, with additional aircraft in the works that include the Eco Otter and
its first clean-sheet design, the Tailwind.
Ampaire Fleet 3
Photo: Ampaire

As recently as a year ago, Ampair’s Electric EEL held the record for the
longest non-stop flight performed by a hybrid-electric aircraft, when it
flew 1,880 miles to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, from Los Angeles, California. The
flight was broken up into three legs, including an 85-mile flight to Mojave,
a 1,135-mile flight to Kansas, and finally a 660-mile flight that terminated
in Oshkosh.

Upon its return to California, the EEL demonstrator flew further than any
previous hybrid-electric aircraft had, the company’s SVP of Global
Partnerships, Dr. Susan Ying, told Robb Report at the time.

“By the time the EEL returns to California it will have flown more miles
than any hybrid-electric aircraft, over 15,000, including airline
demonstration flights in Hawaii and the UK. It is flying with great
reliability and demonstrating the workhorse nature of hybrid-electric
aircraft.”

The Ampaire Electric EEL’s flight to Alaska will also represent the first of
its kind, involving a flight from Southern California, up through Canada,
and terminating in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Ampaire and Launch Alaska

Ampaire and Launch Alaska’s relationship dates back to 2020, when Ampaire
graduated from Launch Alaska’s sixth cohort of its accelerator program, the
2020 Tech Deployment Track. Launch Alaska added Ampaire to its portfolio in
2021.
Electric EEL Flys to Oshkosh 2
Photo: Ampaire

Ampaire flew its Eco Caravan for the first time in November of last year,
and also signed a memorandum of understanding with Air France Industries KLM
Engineering and Maintenance dedicated to developing a global training
network for maintaining the 19-seat aircraft. Azul Conecta also placed an
order for six Eco Caravans earlier this year.
Talyn Acquisition

Most recently, Ampaire announced earlier this month that it would acquire
Talyn Air, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) developer.
Ampaire CEO, Kevin Noertker, said in a press release that the new
acquisition will enable Ampaire to enter defense, drone, and eVTOL segments.

“Adding Talyn to Ampaire’s already strong technical foundation in hybrid
electric propulsion will be immediately accretive to revenue growth and
allow the company to accelerate our reach into the valuable drone and eVTOL
sectors for both commercial and defense applications.”

What do you make of Ampaire’s quick growth and deployment of hybrid-electric
aviation technologies? Let us know in the comments below.
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