Deutsche Aircraft is working with German start-up H2Fly to develop hydrogen fuel cell technology to convert the Dornier 328 twin turboprop regional airliner. Under a memorandum of understanding signed on July 6, the partners are aiming to get a demonstrator aircraft flying in 2025, with a view to supporting commercial operations with up to 40 passengers.
H2Fly is the result of a partnership between the German Aerospace Center and the University of Ulm, which has previously conducted work on hydrogen fuel cells. This led to the development and flight testing in 2020 of a four-seat hydrogen-electric aircraft called the HY4, which made more than 70 flights, demonstrating a potential range of up to 750 km (469 miles).
The planned demonstrator aircraft to be developed with Deutsche Aircraft will have a much more powerful 1.5 MW hydrogen system. The partners are aiming to certify hydrogen-powered aircraft under the requirements of EASA’s CS-25 class for certifying larger commercial airliners.
Deutsche Aircraft is already working on a conversion program for the Dornier 328 called the D328eco. This involves stretching the fuselage of the existing regional airliner by two meters to accommodate up to 43 passengers and installing new Pratt & Whitney PW127S engines that can run on sustainable aviation fuel. The company aims to complete the preliminary design review for this project in September and expects to have the aircraft in production by 2025.
Garmin and GKN Aerospace are already signed up as partners for the D328eco program. Germany's Heggemann group is developing the aircraft's landing gear, which is being designed for use on unpaved runways. The company recently completed ground tests on the main and nose landing gear, for which work has now reached the detailed design phase.
