Anglo-US group completes test flight of propeller aircraft powered by hydrogen

An Anglo-US start-up has successfully completed a test flight of a propeller aircraft partially powered by hydrogen fuel cells in what it hailed as a major breakthrough for the industry. The 10-minute flight by ZeroAvia took place in Gloucestershire on Thursday using a modified 19-seat Dornier 228 propeller plane. It was the largest aircraft powered by a hydrogen-electric engine, according to the start-up. Val Miftakhov, who founded ZeroAvia in 2017, described the test flight as a “historic day for sustainable aviation”, promising that the technology would be in “commercial use in just a couple of short years”.  The aerospace industry is working on a number of different technologies, from “sustainable aviation fuels” to electric batteries and hydrogen. Flying is one of the most difficult industries to decarbonise. Before the pandemic led to the grounding of much of the world’s aircraft, aviation accounted for roughly 2.4% of global emissions. While differences remain about the speed at which the industry can make hydrogen propeller flight a reality, there is a growing consensus that it will have a role to play in powering short to medium-haul aircraft. Since it was launched ZeroAvia has pulled in about $150mn in backing from a range of high-profile investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, and agreed partnerships with the likes of British Airways, United Airlines and Shell, which is supplying it with the hydrogen. Two-thirds of ZeroAvia’s 150 staff are in the UK, although the business is based in California. The company plans to install its engines on existing airframes to simplify getting regulatory approval and reduce the time to market.<br/>