French start-up VoltAero has selected Safran Electrical & Power to supply the electrical wiring for the manufacturer’s hybrid-electric Cassio 330 certification aircraft.
Under the contract, Safran will design and produce the wiring for the propulsion and power distribution systems.
The wiring will be qualified for power ratings up to 800V in continuous operation and will be designed “to resist partial discharge phenomena at altitude”.
VoltAero says the wiring will carry twice the voltage of current cabling produced for traditional aircraft but with no size increase.
Safran is already providing its 150kW ENGINeUS 100 electric motor to VoltAero, which forms a core part of the aircraft’s hybrid-electric powertrain.
The five-seat Cassio 330 will use the aft-mounted electric motor to power taxi, take-off, primary flight on routes of under 80nm (150km) and landing. A Kawasaki-supplied thermal engine is used a range extender to recharge the batteries in flight and also as a back-up.
An initial prototype of the Cassio 330, fitted with just the thermal engine, is expected to fly in mid-2024, followed by a second aircraft with the hybrid system installed later this year. Certification is targeted for 2025.
VoltAero says the new contract covers the development and certification of the Cassio 330, with a production contract to be concluded after European approval has been secured.
This article has been updated with additional detail from VoltAero in the final paragraph.
