A system of a hybrid aircraft includes a first gas turbine engine including a fan, a high speed spool, and a low spool motor configured to drive rotation of the fan. The system also includes a second gas turbine engine and a controller. The controller is operable to determine an operating mode of the hybrid aircraft, control the low spool motor to drive rotation of the fan of the first gas turbine engine responsive to a thrust command while the second gas turbine engine is driven by commanding fuel combustion based on the operating mode, and accelerate the high speed spool of the first gas turbine engine and command fuel combustion at the first gas turbine engine based on a transition of the operating mode to perform a starting operation of the first gas turbine engine.