1948
Company Founded
– Allen V.C. Davis invents the first negative rate disc spring, and founds Hydra-Electric. Fuel tank valves are Hydra’s first products.
1950
First Customer
– Lockheed becomes Hydra-Electric’s first switch customer.
1952
B-52
– Hydra’s hydraulic pressure switches are utilized on the B-52.
1954
Boeing 707
– Boeing purchases Hydra’s switches for the fuel and pneumatic systems of its first jet airliner, the Boeing 707.
1955
Lockheed U2
– Lockheed selects Hydra-Electric for the U2, its reconnaissance aircraft nicknamed “the Dragon Lady.”
1958
Gulfstream I
– Hydra-Electric provides all pressure switches on the Grumman Gulfstream I, a twin turbo-prop business aircraft.
1961
NASA
– Hydra-Electric develops switches for the Atlas launch vehicle, part of NASA’s Mercury project for human spaceflight in which John Glenn was the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the earth.
1963
Dassault, Learjet
– Hydra-Electric products are selected by two pioneering business jet programs – Dassault Falcon 20 and Learjet 23.
1969
Saturn V Rocket
– Switches from Hydra-Electric are utilized on the Saturn V rocket used to transport Neil Armstrong and all the other astronauts to the moon. The Company’s products are used as part of the fuel and pneumatic systems, and also as part of the “chicken switches” (devices that allow an astronaut to eject the capsule in which he or she rides in the event that a rocket malfunctions).
1970
Boeing 747
– The first wide body jumbo jet, the Boeing 747 incorporates hydraulic and fuel flow switches from Hydra-Electric.
1974
F-14 Tomcat
– Hydra-Electric supplies pressure switches for the Grumman F-14 Tomcat.
1975
Patriot Missile
– Company’s switch technology is utilized on the Raytheon Patriot Missile (which derived its name from “Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept On Target”).
1975
AH-64 Apache
– Hydra’s switches are selected for the Army’s AH-64 Apache – a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter still in use today.
1981
F-117A Nighthawk
– Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk program incorporates Hydra-Electric’s products for its stealth ground-attack aircraft.
1983
Embraer
Began providing sensing technology for Embraer, beginning with the EMB 120 and other programs to follow
1987
Airbus 320
Hydra’s hydraulic switches are utilized on this commercial aircraft program
1989
Bell Textron V-22 Osprey
Hydra-Electric provided numerous different switches for this tiltrotor military aircraft
1991
McDonnell Douglas C-17
Hydra-Electric provides sensing instruments including hydraulic switches for this large military transport aircraft
1994
Eurofighter Typhoon
Hydra-Electric provides fuel switches for the Eurofighter Typhoon
1997
Lockheed MARTIN F-22 Raptor
Hydra-Electric provides high performance sensing technology on this twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force
2006
Airbus A380
Hydra-Electric provides high performance sensing instruments for this wide body commercial aircraft program
2009
Bell 429 GlobalRanger
Hydra-Electric’s high performance sensors are utilized in the light twin engine helicopter
2011
Joint Strike Fighter
The JSF program aircraft are able to take advantage of Hydra-Electric’s breakthrough technology in high performance pressure sensors
2012
airbus A320NeO
Hydra-Electric provides engine switches for the A320neo
2013
Eurofighter Typhoon
Hydra-Electric provides high performance sensors for the world’s most advanced swing-role combat aircraft
2015
Pilatus PC-24
Hydra-Electric provides sensors for the environmental controls system of the Pilatus twin-engine business jet
2016
RTCA DO-160 Level 5
Hydra-Electric sensor designs achieve highest level of lightning protection for the most severe electromagnetic environments
2017
A350-XWB
Over 20 of Hydra’s switches and sensors selected for Airbus long haul, twin engine wide-body jet airliner
2018
Irkut MC-21
– Completed qualification for sensors of single-aisle twinjet airliner.
2019
Bell 525 Relentless
– After years on test aircraft, qualification complete for Hydra-Electric sensors.
Over seven decades ago, Hydra-Electric developed and patented the snap action sensing of pressure by means of the negative rate disc spring, employing an additional trim spring for pressure adjustment. This environmentally superior powered snap action design has since become the standard for critical aerospace applications.
As the sole supplier of negative rate disc spring pressure switches, Hydra-Electric grew quickly furnishing pressure switches for fuel, hydraulic, pneumatic airspeed and barometric (altitude) applications for most high performance jet powered aircraft programs. Hydra-Electric has continued to innovate the negative rate spring and pressure sensing systems, applying its designs to thousands of aircraft and missile systems.
Hydra-Electric has also introduced breakthrough technology in high performance sensors. These patented and patent-pending designs address problems that older technologies cannot. Download our historical timeline summary, “A Pioneer in Aviation History”
