Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

Managing Editor

Charles Alcock

Boeing has chosen Safran Electrical &amp; Power to provide the electrical power generation system for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2023-06-13/nasa-designates-boeings-transonic-truss-braced-wing-concept-x-plane">X-66 flight demonstrator</a> it is manufacturing as part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project. Announcing the selection on Tuesday, the company said it will also support ground and test flights for the transonic truss-braced wing concept aircraft due to begin in 2028.
The X-66 program is intended to pave the path toward possible next-generation single-aisle airliners to deliver technology leaps in fuel efficiency and reductions in emissions.
The package Safran will deliver to Boeing consists of a variable frequency generator and a control unit. Providing more than 100 kilowatts of electrical power, the equipment will directly integrate with the gearbox of Pratt &amp; Whitney’s Geared Turbofan engines.
“The technology is very well advanced, and we have done very extensive testing on the ground and demonstrated the power quality and efficiency,” said Bruno Bellanger, executive vice president and general manager of Safran Electrical &amp; Power. “We now need to demonstrate the maturity of this technology, and for that, we need to fly. It is important that everything works well together. We need to understand the gearbox architecture, the coupling, and the way it behaves.”
Safran’s X-66 project team is based at its center of excellence for non-propulsive systems at Pitstone in the UK. The company developed the equipment to be more efficient and lightweight to reduce hydro-mechanical energy losses by around 50%.
According to Bellanger, the variable frequency generator will benefit from a very high power density ratio and be fitted with multiple sensors to monitor performance during the testing. It features a brand-new voltage protection unit.
Safran plans to develop a family of electrical power generation systems to mirror its approach with its EngineUs family of electric motors. “The design has to be flexible so that if one day the customer asks for more, we will be able to scale up,” Bellanger told AIN.
The company views the prospect of a new hybrid-electric single-aisle airliner as a key objective in its ambitions to achieve a dominant market position. Bellanger said the X-66 project gives it a chance to be ready to seize whatever decisions might emerge from the leading airframers.
Safran already has turned its focus to preparing for production ramp-up and service entry for hybrid-electric powertrains. “The aftermarket will be very important and you need a network because the product needs to be maintained from the start,” Bellanger said. “In Safran, we are also working hard on industrialization. For example, we have invested in automated lines and processes for building the EngineUs [electric motors]. And we are also working on a viable frequency generator with automated windings. We have to be able to deliver at scale.”

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