Abstract <p>An approach to the implementation of an electric drive of parallel circuit hybrid electric plants (HEPs) is considered. The characteristics of an HEP with a turbocharger and free turbine drive are compared. The key difference between the considered complexes is the installation location of the electric machine (EM): in the first case, the EM drives the compressor section; in the second, the free turbine shaft does. A search for optimal hybridization—the ratio between electrical and thermal energy, taking into account the parameters of the thermal control system—is performed. The range of hybridization variation is from 5 to 25%. The analysis of the results shows that hybridization of aircraft (ACs) significantly reduces fuel consumption per flight cycle. The break-even point for the turbocharger drive scheme corresponds to a hybridization of 18%; for the free turbine drive scheme, this value is 20%. The HEP scheme with a turbocharger drive at the maximum considered value of hybridization (25%) provides a reduction in fuel consumption per flight cycle by 13%. The parallel hybrid system with a free turbine drive reduces fuel consumption by 5%. An increase in hybridization requires an increase in the energy stored onboard the aircraft, which, in turn, requires a high specific energy capacity of batteries (up to 600 W h/kg) and a specific power of the electric drive (more than 10 kW/kg).</p>