ZeroAvia today proudly announced that it has been granted permission from the United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to fly its Dornier 228. This aircraft has been retrofitted with the British American company's prototype hydrogen-electric powertrain, giving way to the next stage of progressing modern hydrogen commercial flight.

The right steps

Following the securing of the Part 21 permit, ZeroAvia looks forward to launching test flights of the 19-seater early next year. There has been a plethora of ground tests with the 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain on the 228. Now, the aircraft is gearing up hit the skies.

ZeroAvia founder and CEO Val Miftakhov shared the following in a company statement:

“Earning our full Part 21 permit to fly with the CAA is a critical milestone as we develop a zero-emission aviation propulsion system that will be the most environmental and economical solution to the industry’s climate impact. We’re going to be starting 2023 in the best way possible, by demonstrating through flight that true zero-emission commercial flight is much closer than many think.”

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Covering ground

The company now has two 228's within its holdings. One is based in Kemble, England, while the other one can be found in Hollister, California. Altogether, the UK government is backing the HyFlyer II program that seeks the development of a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain.

Notably, ZeroAvia targets the first commercial hydrogen-electric flight with its equipment between the UK and the Netherlands in 2024. There have already been significant breakthroughs. For instance, a retrofitted Piper M-class completed the world's first hydrogen-electric passenger flight in September 2020. ZeroAvia is expanding rapidly, going from six-seater projects to 19-seaters in just a few years.

In October, it was announced that ZeroAvia acquired fellow hydrogen experimenter HyPoint. With HyPoint being a leading high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (HTPEM) fuel cell outfit and holding a strong presence in the United Kingdom, the move adds to ZeroAvia's scaling up in the country.

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High hopes

Several major airlines are on board with ZeroAvia. Alaska Airlines has agreed to let ZeroAvia use its turboprops for hydrogen powertrain testing. Meanwhile, American Airlines has invested in the enterprise's hydrogen-electric engines. These initiatives are joined by others involving the likes of British Airways, Ravn Alaska, and United Airlines.

Miftakhov highlighted the following to Simple Flying in an interview earlier this year:

“Our initial applications for the next 12 or so years are all regional aircraft. We are not going to see people fly commercially on our systems from the United States to the United Kingdom, but those markets by themselves are huge. Once we certify with one agency, it’s relatively easy for other agencies to concur. We need to have presence in all the major locations."

Hydrogen is increasingly becoming a promising solution for long-term sustainable aviation. Other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce are also working intently in this space. We can expect further advancements in the new year.

What are your thoughts about ZeroAvia receiving the green light for the next phase of testing from the CAA? What do you make of the overall prospects of the project? Let us know what you think of the company and its plans in the comment section.