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Eaton's Hydraulic System Innovations Support Industry's Shift toward More Electric Aircraft

Date: 6/19/2017

PARIS AIR SHOW, June 2017 — Eaton's vast experience in power management led to the development of a new hydraulic power generation system concept for the Dassault Falcon 5X business jet that optimizes reliability and efficiency. 

The hydraulic power generation system supplies hydraulic power to primary and secondary flight control actuators, landing gear and doors, nose wheel steering, brakes and thrust reversers. Current aircraft designs have three independent hydraulic systems distributed throughout the aircraft to provide redundancy and meet safety requirements. 

With a goal to enhance safety, reliability, efficiency and weight reduction, Dassault took a novel approach by working with Eaton to develop a zonal architecture that allows one hydraulic system to be eliminated and replaced by localized, electrically driven hydraulic powerpacks, also called zonal powerpacks. The design also allows the use of proven a digital flight control system instead of adding complex back-up electro-hydrostatic flight controls recently developed for some new aircraft programs.


Eaton has designed and developed integrated powerpacks consisting of an electric motor with its integrated remote controller driving a 3,000 psi hydraulic pump. A bootstrap reservoir, maintenance-free accumulator, control valves and high-pressure quick-disconnect couplings complete the package, while sensing devices keep flight and maintenance crews aware of system conditions during aircraft operation.

Eaton is a leading designer and supplier of compact, lightweight, reliable and power-efficient integrated hydraulic power packages. Custom configurations include both electric motor-driven and gearbox-mounted driven unit designs for a variety of applications including secondary flight control, landing gear actuation and other utility hydraulic power requirements. 

For more information, contact Dave Bailey,




Eaton's zonal technology supports more electric aircraft by replacing the third hydraulic system needed for fly-by-wire flight controls with strategically placed, electrically driven zonal powerpacks.