ZeroAvia’s zero-emission flight makes history

On Thursday, ZeroAvia successfully tested the world’s largest plane to be powered by a hydrogen-electric engine. The maiden flight of the 19-seater Dornier 228 twin-engine aircraft marks significant progress in the industry’s sustainable development. With substantial pressure on aviation to reduce its negative impact on the environment, ZeroAvia’s zero-emission flight bodes well for the future of the industry.

The flight was part of ZeroAvia’s Hyflyer II which was backed by the UK Government’s flagship ATI Programme to develop zero-emission flights.

Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO of ZeroAvia said:

“This is a major moment, not just for ZeroAvia, but for the aviation industry as a whole, as it shows that true zero-emission commercial flight is only a few years away. The first flight of our 19-seat aircraft shows just how scalable our technology is and highlights the rapid progress of zero-emission propulsion. This is only the beginning – we are building the future of sustainable, zero climate impact aviation. Our approach is the best solution to accelerate clean aviation at scale.

The flight took place at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire, UK and lasted ten minutes. All systems performed as expected for the duration and the company is now on track to scale up the technology to larger aircrafts. The company’s press release highlighted that ZeroAvia’s 2-5 MW powertrain programme is already in action and seeks to apply this to 90-seat aircraft with further expansion into narrowbody aircraft demonstrators over the next decade. ZeroAvia will also be working towards certifiable configuration in order to deliver commercial routes using the technology by 2025.

Secretary of State for Business, Grant Shapps said:

“Today’s flight is a hugely exciting vision of the future – guilt-free flying and a big step forward for zero-emission air travel. It also demonstrates how government funding for projects like these is translating into net zero growth. […] The UK is a world leader in green aviation technology, and the global shift to cleaner forms of flight represents a huge opportunity to secure growth and jobs for our country. That’s why we are backing businesses who share our ambitions, reaping the benefits of green technology and growing the thousands of new, skilled jobs that come with it.”

For more recent news on sustainable aviation developments see NASA selects Boeing as partner for testing emission-efficient aircraft design.

At Aviation Festival Asia next month, sustainability strategy in the industry will be explored at length by top airlines in the region.

Article by Jess Brownlow

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