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Tennessee Tech, Whisper Aero partner to retrofit glider with quiet electric turbines
Summary
Tennessee Tech University and Whisper Aero announced a partnership to retrofit an existing glider with Whisper Aero's low-noise electric turbines. The project will involve Tennessee Tech students in mechanical and electrical engineering, plus instruction in operations and project management, and aims to flight-test an ultralight vehicle in-state.
Tennessee Tech University and Whisper Aero announced a partnership to retrofit an existing glider with Whisper Aero's low-noise electric turbines, a collaboration officials said will give students hands-on experience and produce an ultralight aircraft for in-state flight testing.
Dr. Michael Akins, assistant vice president of economic development at Tennessee Tech University, said, "we are so incredibly excited to announce the partnership between Whisper Aero and Tennessee Tech. Really the goal of the project is overall we're looking to convert an existing glider plane, to Whisper Aero's super quiet turbines And in this process, we're gonna be involving Tennessee Tech students, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering. And what they're really gonna be able to do is literally take what they're learning in the classroom and practically apply it on a real actual project. And not only that, they're going to be working directly with Whisper Aero."
Laura, product manager for air mobility at Whisper Aero, said, "we are super excited to be partnering with Tennessee Tech for this TNGO project, where we will be retrofitting an existing glider with 2 of our high thrust engines to make an ultralight vehicle, that we plan on flight testing and eventually flight demonstrating here in Tennessee for a really quiet, really efficient electric airplane."
Project leaders said the collaboration will engage Tennessee Tech students in mechanical and electrical engineering and provide experience in operations management and project management. Whisper Aero described the retrofit as installing two high-thrust electric engines to create an ultralight aircraft; the company said it plans subsequent flight testing and a flight demonstration in Tennessee.
Officials thanked the "TN Go" opportunity (spoken as "TN Go" or "TNGO" in the presentation) as enabling the project. The announcement did not specify funding amounts, a flight-testing schedule, or regulatory approvals required for demonstration flights.
The partnership pairs a university economic development office with an aerospace company and emphasizes student training and a near-term demonstration; no formal votes or municipal actions were recorded in the segment.
