Otto Aviation has confirmed plans for a 19-seat, hydrogen-powered version of its Celera aircraft that could be operated on flights of up to 1,000 nm. The Celera 750L is a stretched version of the 500L that the U.S. company has in development. It announced today that ZeroAvia will integrate its ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain as an alternative propulsion system to the Red A03 diesel engine being used for the 500L.
Its six-seat Celera 500L features a laminar-flow design that Otto claims will deliver 4,500-nm range at cruise speeds of 391 knots. The company has not provided more details about the projected performance for the 750L.
In December 2020, Otto announced plans to develop a zero-emissions version of the 500L and have it available by 2027. That is two years after the first Celera model is due to enter service.
According to ZeroAvia, the Celera 750L will provide even more competitive operating costs due to reduced maintenance expenses for the propulsion system and the lower price for hydrogen versus jet-A. Within the next few weeks, ZeroAvia expects to start flying a 19-seat Dornier 228 testbed aircraft fitted with the 600-kW ZA600 powertrain. It has a pair of the turboprop twins that it will work on at its facilities in California and the UK.
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