Leading aviation hydrogen power specialists ZeroAvia has successfully completed it’s first test campaign with its Dornier Do228 test bed.
The aircraft has been retro-fitted with a ZA600 Hydrogen-electric engine which has undergone initial endurance and altitude tests which meet the highest anticipated results.
ZeroAvia have operated 10 flights from Cotswolds Airport as part of the intial campaign reaching an altitude of 5,000ft and operating at temperatures from just above freezing to 30c.
The company says that the hydrogen-electric engine has matched the power of the conventional, fossil fuel engine on the opposite wing, with the pilots able to fly with thrust generated only from the experimental clean propulsion system in certain tests.
Gabriele Teofili, Head of Aircraft Integration & Testing, ZeroAvia, said: “Plenty of people go through 40 year careers without marking their name in the history books of aerospace engineering. I’m so proud that so many of the team at ZeroAvia can say that they have done that already with this first phase of test flights. This Dornier 228 will now always have a place in our hearts, but we’re excited to take it on its next adventure and head further afield.”
Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO, ZeroAvia, said: “Zero-emission flight technologies are moving from promise to delivery and our amazing team is leading the way with this testing programme. We do not have to push the unappealing choices on passengers of paying more or flying less to deliver climate conscious air travel. We instead can adopt this technology quickly to reduce climate impact and air pollution.”
ZeroAvia’s Dornier 228 flight testing programme is part of the HyFlyer II Project, which is part funded by the UK Government via the Aerospace Technology Institute, in conjunction with Innovate UK and the Department for Business and Trade.
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