Gloucestershire aviation company makes history with test flight
A Gloucestershire aviation company has made history with the test flight of the world’s largest hydrogen powered flight.
ZeroAvia, which is based at Cotswold Airport in Kemble, successfully flew a 19-seater hydrogen electric-powered Dornier 228.
The plane has been fitted with a full-size prototype hydrogen-electric powertrain on the left wing of the aircraft.
It is the largest plane powered by a hydrogen-electric engine to ever complete a test flight.
The flight took off from the company’s research and development centre at Cotswold Airport and lasted 10 minutes.
It is the largest ZeroAvia engine tested so far and is part of a process which the company hopes will lead to commercial flights in just three years time.
Two years ago ZeroAvia carried the first of more than 30 flights of a six-seat Piper Malibu aircraft using a 250kW hydrogen-electric powertrain.
Val Miftakhov, founder and chief executive 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.”
Business secretary 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.”ZeroAvia has1,500 engines on pre-order and partnerships with seven aircraft manufacturers as well as number of fuel and airport partnerships.
