Hybrid power plants, which were previously associated only with cars, are now making their way into aviation. In Russia, tests of such technologies are being conducted on Yak-40 and An-2 aircraft, said Alexander Filippov, head of the power plant department at PAO "Yakovlev".
According to him, this involves combining a classic gas turbine engine with an electric system and batteries. Such a configuration allows for reduced fuel consumption, increased safety, and even a shorter runway length.
Technical progress in this area allows aviation to follow the path of the automotive industry, where hybrid power plants quickly gained a prominent place.
According to Yakovlev's estimates, a significant breakthrough in this area could occur within the next 5–10 years.
The 70-year-old An-2 aircraft remain relevant until they are replaced by the new LMS-901 "Baikal". Recently, designers in Yeysk equipped the "corn-duster" with three car engines at once.