Airbus turboprop model gaining favor as first hydrogen plane

A turboprop design is gaining momentum within Airbus as the solution to its challenge of developing a hydrogen jet by 2035, according to people familiar with the matter. The propeller plane would carry around 100 passengers for about 1,000 nautical miles -- roughly the distance between Rome and Dublin. It’s seen as the option most capable of meeting Airbus’ aggressive goal of introducing a zero-emission plane by the middle of the next decade, said the people, who asked not to be named because a formal decision is still several years away. Airbus unveiled three design concepts including the turboprop last September, when it said it would focus on hydrogen technology to tackle the problem of growing carbon-dioxide emissions. While no final decision has been made on which design to take forward, the company is beginning to evaluate the potential of each proposal, the people said. The other two designs are for a 200-seat blended wing, which Airbus has already said it’s unlikely to pursue first due to the challenges of certification, and a more-familiar-looking turbofan approach, which could fly more than 2,000 nautical miles -- about two-thirds as far as the company’s mainstay A320 single-aisle jets. A turboprop plane, while easier to develop, would address a smaller market -- it could make most hops between European cities, for example, but not fly trans-Atlantic routes or coast-to-coast in the US. <br/>