Whisper Aero Completes the First Crewed Swift 3 Electric Glider Flights in Tennessee
Whisper Aero has completed the first piloted flights of its eQ250 electric ducted-fan propulsion system aboard a modified Swift 3 glider, marking a move from ground testing to flight testing for the company’s electric propulsion technology.
The Swift was selected as a test platform partly because of its 26:1 lift-to-drag ratio, allowing the company to evaluate propulsion performance and aircraft integration under FAA special airworthiness conditions. The project received support from Tennessee Tech University through a $500,000 Transportation Network Growth Opportunity award from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
The flights took place in Crossville, Tennessee, and involved two eQ250 electric propulsors, each capable of producing up to 85 pounds of static thrust. The system was powered by five Electric Power Systems Epic 1.0 Energy modules.
Test pilot Zac Majors flew three planned flights totaling more than 130 minutes. The campaign followed a series of preparatory tests, including progressively ballasted glider flights, aircraft integration work, formal readiness reviews and 1,000 hours of propulsion life testing. The company said the initial flights were focused on validating the operation of the integrated propulsion, battery, control and aircraft systems.
Testing also collected data on performance, handling, propulsion efficiency, thermal behavior, reliability and acoustic characteristics. Whisper Aero reported that the aircraft produced 52 dB(A) during early morning testing at a 100-foot altitude, compared with an ambient level of 34 dB(A).
The company plans to continue flight testing in Tennessee before moving to additional flight test and evaluation activities with government customers later this year. Lessons from the Swift campaign will also be applied to Whisper Aero’s Collaborative Logistics Aircraft program. The flight campaign is also intended to inform future defense applications.
