SAE AIR7128

This document provides a comprehensive compilation of currently available practices, standards, regulations, and guidance material that have been considered relevant for developing an electrified propulsion system (independently or as part of an aircraft) and that may also help the applicants in the process of building their own certification approach with their Authority. It also covers unique considerations for electrified propulsion development and aircraft integration. It focuses on the particularities introduced by the new technology. This document is not intended to represent a proposed Means of Compliance (MoC) with any particular certification regulation. The novelties introduced by the electrification of propulsion may have an impact on the traditional compliance demonstration activities at engine level and on the integration of the powerplant system in the aircraft. The need to provide to the manufacturers that incorporate this new technology the tools to certify their products has caused the aviation community to react and perform an assessment to determine if available certification regulations and industry standards are covering the new demands and, consequently, to work to address the identified gaps. In line with that, the civil aviation authorities have launched a dedicated review process, in steps, of the certification specifications (also known as airworthiness standards) and accepted means of compliance of the different categories and kind of aircraft (e.g., VTOL, rotorcraft, tilt rotor, powered-lift) that is ongoing. During the discussions held in the frame of the SAE E-40 Electrified Propulsion technical committee, the pertinence to compile and share the state-of-the-art practices for designing, integrating, and certifying an electrified propulsion system was identified. This document is the SAE response to that finding. As the electrified propulsion is a technology in development, this document is expected to evolve to suit the new needs that may arise, to update its content to cover the evolutions of the proposed practices and to address the pending topics of the last issue.