Air NZ still 'dancing' with partners as 'next-gen aircraft' deadline 'not far away'

Air New Zealand’s “next-generation aircraft” will unlock the potential of the regions, says chair Dame Therese Walsh. The national carrier is still “dancing with a number of people on the dance floor” when it comes to making a decision on the new planes, but Walsh is confident they will be the future of the domestic market. Air NZ wants to start trialling next-gen aircraft in the next three years, with the aim of replacing its Q300 fleet – the “backbone” of the regions – come 2030. Air NZ has a goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, so Walsh said it was vital they had a “commercial demonstrator” – an aircraft they can “start working with” alongside the 50-seater Q300s – by 2026. By 2030, the ageing Q300s needed to be on their way out, Walsh said on a visit to Marlborough on Tuesday. At the end of last year, the ​​airline unveiled four different zero-emissions planes it was looking to buy. These included an all-electric nine-seater, one that could take off vertically and one fuelled by green hydrogen. They had since added more long-term partners to investigate and accelerate the development of more sustainable options. These new partners included Universal Hydrogen, Heart Aerospace and Embraer, a leader in regional aircraft. Air NZ had also teamed up with Victoria University of Wellington's Robinson Research Institute to help the airline evaluate and validate aircraft propulsion technology as concepts developed. The research institution was a world-leader in developing power electronics and superconducting machines and was working on their application to the aviation industry.<br/>