ARP8689 Will Help Industry Comply with Engine Endurance and Durability Requirements

WARRENDALE, Pa. (June 15, 2021) – SAE International announced today that its E-40 Committee on Electrified Propulsion has introduced an important new work in progress, SAE ARP8689: Endurance Tests for Aircraft Electric Engines. ARP8689 will provide guidance on testing durability and integrity requirements of electric engines.

As new technologies, architectures and aircraft designs emerge, the need to demonstrate safe operation under all operational limits as well as the service life duration of an electric engine becomes critical. A recommended practice for a normalized test procedure ensures that failure modes are properly addressed and manufacturers can rely on durable engines.

“Before electrical engines power traditional or even radically new design aircraft, these engines will be required to demonstrate both endurance and durability,” said Richard Ambroise, chair of SAE’s E-40 Committee and head of propelling at Airbus. “The ARP8689 recommended practice will help the industry achieve this requirement and that is needed in the near future.”

Recent regulatory activity, including EASA’s recently published special condition for electric/hybrid propulsion systems and the FAA’s proposed rulemaking, address endurance and durability demonstration. The ARP8689 recommended practice will help the industry achieve these requirements.

Since the SAE E-40 Committee’s inaugural meeting in March 2019, the committee has brought together more than 240 experts from industry, regulatory authorities and research, with expertise and skills across the spectrum. Diverse segments include representation from automotive, general aviation, eVTOL, commercial aviation, rotorcraft and engines. ARP8689 adds to the committee’s portfolio of documents in work, which include:

• ARP8676: Nomenclature & Definitions for Electrified Propulsion Aircraft

• AIR8678: Architecture Examples for Electrified Propulsion Aircraft

• ARP8677: Safety Considerations for Electrified Propulsion Aircraft

An ARP8689 working group, led by Yves Cousineau from Transport Canada, meets bi-weekly to advance this important document, with an aggressive schedule to publish by the end of 2021. To find out more and get involved, please contact SAE Committee Manager, Nicole Mattern at nicole.mattern@sae.org, or visit: https://www.sae.org/standards/content/arp8689/.

About SAE International
SAE International is a global association committed to advancing mobility knowledge and solutions for the benefit of humanity. By engaging nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts and volunteers, we connect and educate mobility professionals to enable safe, clean, and accessible mobility solutions. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including award-winning programs like A World In Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™. More at www.sae.org.

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