ZeroAvia, a leading innovator in the decarbonization of commercial aviation, has received permission from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to fly a modified Dornier 288 aircraft with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system. This marks a significant step towards the transformation of the aviation industry from fossil fuels to zero-emission alternatives. In 2020, the company completed the world’s first hydrogen-electric passenger plane flight. The 19-seater aircraft, which has twin engines, will undergo testing by the company starting in January. The CEO of ZeroAvia stated that this achievement is a major milestone for the company and everyone interested in zero-emission flight, and thanked the company’s investors and the UK government for their support.
ZeroAvia has received permission from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to test a modified Dornier 288 aircraft with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system. The plane, which has a 600 kW hydrogen-electric power train on its left wing and a conventional Honeywell TPE-331 engine on the right for redundancy during testing, is the largest aircraft with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system to date. The company has thoroughly tested the aircraft on the ground and reviewed its development program before obtaining the necessary regulatory approval for flight. ZeroAvia plans to demonstrate the viability of zero-emission commercial flight with the aircraft and is targeting commercial operation by 2025 with a version of the plane called the ZA600. The company expects to have the plane ready for commercial use by the end of 2023.