GE Aerospace and BETA Complete Hybrid-Electric Assisted Takeoff Test
GE Aerospace and BETA Technologies have completed a hybrid-electric assisted takeoff demonstration using a modified Saab 340B, in a test intended to advance the development of electrified propulsion for commercial aviation.
The companies said the flight was the first demonstration of a hybrid-electric assisted takeoff by an aircraft designed to carry passengers at commercial airliner altitudes. Testing took place at BETA’s flight test facility in Plattsburgh, New York.
The Saab 340B was modified to use two different power arrangements. A conventional GE Aerospace CT7 gas turbine powered one side, while the other used a hybrid-electric system incorporating a modified gas engine, electric motors and a battery system. During takeoff, the electric components supplied additional power to the gas engine to provide the required thrust.
The system is a fully integrated, megawatt-class propulsion arrangement operating at multi-kilovolt levels. GE Aerospace said early observations indicated that the hybrid-assisted takeoff was quieter than one using gas turbine power alone, although it did not provide noise measurements.
The demonstration builds on earlier flight tests by GE Aerospace and BETA, which examined electric power assistance during climb and cruise, as well as the recovery of electrical energy during cruise and descent. The latest test extends the work to the takeoff phase, when aircraft typically require high levels of power.
The programme forms part of wider hybrid-electric technology development under the NASA Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project. In May 2026, GE Aerospace, BETA, NASA and Boeing reported a hybrid-electric flight above 30,000ft. The aircraft was subsequently flown across the Atlantic to the UK for the Farnborough International Airshow.
GE Aerospace is also developing hybrid-electric propulsion technologies through the CFM Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) programme, a technology demonstrator led by CFM International, its 50–50 joint venture with Safran Aircraft Engines. The programme includes work on hybrid-electric systems and an Open Fan engine architecture, alongside other technologies.
