Cairns-based airline Skytrans has announced it intends to operate Australia's first hydrogen-powered aircraft. The plane in question will be a retrofitted Beechcraft 1900D provided by hydrogen-electric aerospace startup Stralis. The maiden flight is anticipated for 2025, with certification and entry into service scheduled for 2026.

Leading local hydrogen industry

Normally seating 19 passengers, the Stralis Beechcraft will be modified to carry 15 passengers and retrofitted with a zero-emissions hydrogen-electric propulsion system (HEPS). It will have a range of 800 km. This is only about half the distance between Cairns and Queensland's capital of Brisbane, but for Skytrans' operations to Cape York, it just about works. The airline's Chief Executive Officer, Alan Milne, said,

“We are proud to be leading the nation in developing its hydrogen industry and we want to play a leading role in showing that this technology can work in aviation. The impacts of climate change are concerning for local communities and that’s why we are playing a major role in reducing the environmental impact of aviation.”

A first trial flight will be conducted in North Queensland to make certain the aircraft will be suited to the region's specific environmental conditions.

Beechcraft_1900_Swiss_Air_Force
The plane will be a retrofitted Beechcraft 1900D, here is one belonging to the Swiss Air Force. Photo: Flox Papa via Wikimedia Commons

Startup Stralis hopes to make planes in Australia

Stralis was founded in 2021 to "decarbonize air travel, improve passenger experience and create a world-class aircraft manufacturer in Australia." It will first develop and install hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains in existing airframes, to then transition to a clean-sheet design.

The first, the SA-2, is intended to seat approximately 45 people and enter into service around 2030. Meanwhile, the startup is also looking to develop a 90-seater jet to start flying passengers in 2035.

Stralis' co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Stuart Johnstone, said the project also represents opportunities for local energy and aerospace industry. He commented,

“Queensland is ramping up its capacity to produce green hydrogen, ‘bottled sunshine, from local wind and solar resources. Stralis will take advantage of this to help companies like Skytrans continue to provide affordable air travel as the world transitions to Net Zero.”

Lack of domestic commitments worries research team

The project will be supported by experts from Griffith University. Researcher Dr Emma Whittlesea told the Guardian,

“It’s quite a risk in a way. I mean, it’s a great place in terms of the market, because there’s lots and lots of smaller regional airlines that the solution can be viable for. But in terms of getting the support from government, there’s not the same policy framework that there is in other countries. The strategic framework in Australia to support this type of thing does not exist. We haven’t even got commitments for aviation to reduce emissions.”

Skytrans currently operates a fleet of five De Havilland DHC-8-100s with a capacity to seat 36 people. More than replacing more polluting aircraft, clean-burning regional aircraft could potentially help get cars off the road. With ground vehicles accounting for close to 80% of all CO2 emitted by transport, they could help reduce the carbon footprint of more than one sector.

Source: The Guardian, AirlineRatings.com