A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been struck by Loganair and ZeroAvia to start developing “zero-emission” flights in the UK. This will concentrate on using ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric engine in aircraft like the TwinAir and Loganair Cessna Caravan.
In short, the collaboration focuses on integrating ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engines into Loganair’s regional flights in Scotland. Pure water is the only result of these engines’ utilisation of hydrogen fuel cells to produce electricity for electric motors. According to ZeroAvia, compared to conventional aircraft, the engines offer carriers fewer maintenance costs and downtime.
The partnership will initially concentrate on the certification of the hydrogen-electric ZA600 in aircraft with 10–20 seats, such as the Cessna Caravan. This will eventually be extended to the Twin Otter, a plane that Loganair employs to make links throughout the islands and Scottish Highlands. It’s important to note that Loganair is Scotland’s biggest regional airline; thus, most of the flights it may impact from this partnership will be in Scotland and the Northeast region of England. The long-term goal of the partnership is to integrate the ZA2000 propulsion system module into Loganair’s bigger regional aircraft, which can accommodate up to 80 passengers. This comprises the ATR family of aircraft, of which Loganair currently flies over 20.
“Loganair’s route network lends itself very well to the adoption of both our ZA600 and ZA2000 engine technology post-certification, so hopefully this can be the start of a long-lasting customer relationship for ZeroAvia and cleaner transport for passengers in Scotland and the UK,” stated Val Miftakhov, CEO of ZeroAvia.
Liquid hydrogen management system tests
One component of ZeroAvia’s operations in the UK is its collaboration with Loganair. The company said last month that it had been awarded a grant by the UK government to develop a liquid hydrogen management system for aeroplanes as part of the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) programme. The goal of the £10.8 million (€12.7 million) Liquid Hydrogen System Integration & Flight Test (LH-SIFT) project is to create a lightweight tank and management system that can be integrated into a modified Dornier 228 aircraft. This test platform will aim to launch a commercial aeroplane driven by liquid hydrogen, a first for the globe.
In this instance, “a novel lightweight metallic tank design and supporting systems for filling and managing storage and distribution” make up the LH2 management system under development. “The first liquid hydrogen flying commercial airframe testbed” is another goal of the project.
“Liquid hydrogen is necessary to achieve the volumetric and gravimetric energy density required by larger zero-emission aircraft that no other solution offers,” stated James McMicking, CSO of ZeroAvia. Liquid hydrogen technology will advance further as a result of this project, which will also make it possible to test and validate it in flight and during refuelling operations. In order to scale zero-emission aircraft technology and the corresponding hydrogen airport infrastructure, it will be beneficial to attract investment from the larger aerospace ecosystem.
Click Here to get the latest EV news and exclusive updates from EV Mechanica on WhatsApp!