Electrification of the aeronautical industry | H55 sticks to Saint-Hubert airport

The arrival of H55 in Quebec goes beyond the manufacturing of battery packs to help the aeronautical industry make the electric shift. For the Montreal – Saint-Hubert airport, the establishment of this company along its runways illustrates the change in vocation desired by the management of the place.

Co-founded by André Borschberg – world record holder for longest solo flight without refueling with an aircraft without fuel using Solar Impulse –, the young company will build its battery pack manufacturing plant on the South Shore of Montreal.

The location will supply the first Canadian customers: Pratt & Whitney Canada, CAE and Harbor Air. The battery pack manufacturer plans to invest up to 100 million over five years in production as well as research and development.

“We studied several potential sites on the North Shore and the South Shore of Montreal and we finally decided to settle near the Saint-Hubert airport,” explained Mr. Borschberg and Martin Larose, general manager, in an interview. of H55. It is close to our customers and a pool of specialized labor. »

In the presence, in particular, of the Federal Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez, the Quebec Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Energy Pierre Fitzgibbon as well as the Mayor of Longueuil Catherine Fournier, MM. Borschberg and Larose formalized the start of work on Wednesday in the southern suburbs of the metropolis.

Access to the runways at Saint-Hubert airport weighed in the balance at H55. In the short term, the Swiss manufacturer will deliver battery packs to its customers and complete its automated production site. Over a longer horizon, we want to go much further than factory manufacturing.

“In Switzerland, we may be called upon to develop the integration of the propulsion system into a specific device,” explains Mr. Borschberg. It’s an added value that we offer. We are authorized to carry out test flights. We don’t want to build planes, but since these are new technologies, we must be able to advise our customers on how to integrate them. »

Already customers

H55 has already established partnerships with Pratt & Whitney Canada to provide battery systems for the creation of a hybrid electric engine which will power a Dash 8 propeller plane built by De Havilland Canada. The company is also a supplier to the partnership formed by CAE and Piper to develop an electrical conversion kit intended for the American aircraft manufacturer’s Archer model. Finally, it collaborates with Harbor Air to electrify its Beaver aircraft.

For the Montreal – Saint-Hubert airport, the announcement made by H55 marks the realization of efforts spread over several months. Its representatives had, among other things, met Mr. Borschberg and his team during the Paris Air Show in France last June.

Known for its flight schools – a source of noise pollution for nearby residents – the Saint-Hubert airport wishes to move away from its general aviation vocation in favor of innovation as well as research and development. .

H55 is a good example, says the location’s vice-president, corporate affairs, communications and marketing, Simon-Pierre Diamond.

“Here, there is proximity to many industry players and access to the track,” he says. When we have to test new prototypes, this is a determining factor. H55 marks the start of our new vocation. »

Added to this is the construction of a new terminal, a 200 million project which must welcome its first passengers before the summer of 2025. This project is managed by Porter Airlines, which will be its main user with Pascan Aviation.

One step at a time

Year in and year out, the air transport sector represents around 2% of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet. Transatlantic flights in a 100% aircraft are not for tomorrow, but electrification is nevertheless underway in “small aviation”, affirms the co-founder of H55.

“It’s faster and simpler,” says Mr. Borschberg. We can introduce new technologies in this niche to demonstrate its usefulness for aviation. Commercial regional aviation will be the next step. »

H55 obtained a loan of 10 million from the Trudeau government to establish itself in Quebec. The company is still discussing financial support with the Legault government.