Alaska Airlines, ZeroAvia to develop ‘world’s largest’ zero-emission aircraft

Alaska Airlines has delivered a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprop to be retrofitted with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system by powertrain developer ZeroAvia. After changing hands during a 1 May ceremony at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, the 76-seat Dash 8-400 is set to become the ”world’s largest zero-emissions aircraft”, the companies say. ”Aligning ZeroAvia’s powertrain with the Dash 8-400 airframe will represent a commercially viable zero-emission aircraft with fuel cell engine technology around five times more powerful than what has been demonstrated anywhere to date.” Also during the 1 May event, ZeroAvia demonstrated its HyperCore electric motor system in a 1.8MW prototype configuration, which was mounted on a heavy ground-based testing rig. Alaska’s regional subsidiary Horizon Air recently retired its fleets of Dash 8-400s but set one of type aside for ”research and development purposes to further advance zero emissions technology for the aviation industry”, Alaska says. ”Alaska Airlines has defined a five-part journey to achieve net zero carbon emissions long-term, but we can’t get there alone,” says Ben Minicucci, Alaska’s chief executive. “New technologies are required to make that future possible, and we are thrilled to partner with industry leader ZeroAvia to make new zero emissions options a reality.” With operations in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia is one of several start-ups betting on the potential of hydrogen fuel to decarbonise the aviation industry. Hydrogen fuels emits only water when burned or used to produce electricity. Another notable company developing hydrogen-electric propulsion technologies is California-based Universal Hydrogen, which in early March completed its first flight of a Dash 8-300 powered partly by a hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion system. Story has more.<br/>