The new rule requires manufacturers to incorporate improved fuel-efficient technologies into airplanes manufactured after January 1, 2028. It also applies to subsonic jet airplanes and large turboprop and piston-engine airplanes that have not yet been certified, the FAA said.

• READ MORE: FAA Proposed Rule Targets Turbine, Turboprop, and Piston Aircraft Fuel Efficiency

“We are taking a large step forward to ensure the manufacture of more fuel-efficient airplanes, reduce carbon pollution, and reach our goal of net-zero emissions by 2050,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker.

Among the aircraft that will be required to meet the new standards are the Boeing 777X and newly built versions of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner; the Airbus A330neo; business jets including the Cessna Citation; and turboprop transports such as the ATR 72 and Viking Air Limited Q400. The regulation does not affect airplanes currently in service. 

• READ MORE: ‘We Need to Fly Aircraft—We Don’t Fly PowerPoints’

Civil aircraft such as those listed contribute 9 percent of domestic transportation emissions and 2 percent of total U.S. carbon pollution, according to the FAA. 

The final rule, which can be found in the Federal Register, is part of the U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan aimed at achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the American aviation sector by 2050.

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The FAA on Thursday issued the G-1 Issue Paper that establishes certification criteria, including airworthiness and environmental standards required by the FAA to ultimately certify the Universal Hydrogen design for ATR 72 conversion to hydrogen power.

• READ MORE: ATR 72 Hydrogen-Electric Demonstrator Unveiled

California-based Universal Hydrogen will continue working with the FAA to finalize the full certification requirements.

Hydrogen Logistics

In addition, the company is building a hydrogen logistics network. According to Universal Hydrogen, its modular hydrogen capsules can be transported over the existing freight network from production directly to the airplane anywhere in the world.

Universal Hydrogen is also working to certify a powertrain conversion kit to retrofit existing regional aircraft to fly on hydrogen.

In July 2022, Universal Hydrogen unveiled its test demonstrator aircraft, a modified ATR 72-500 at its facility in Toulouse, France. The airplane’s powertrain was converted from a conventional turboprop configuration to electric motors powered by hydrogen fuel cells. 

The conversion kits for ATR 72s include proprietary, liquid hydrogen modular capsules intended to make green hydrogen fuel transport and loading effective and efficient.  

Several air carriers are taking notice of the new technology. In 2022, Universal Hydrogen secured a deal with Connect Airlines for a firm order to convert 75 ATR 72-600s to hydrogen powertrains. The agreement includes an option to convert 25 additional aircraft. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2025.

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Ansett, which is based in Australia, said it is partnering with Dynamic to develop a one‐stop training program for airlines and pilots that is a five-minute drive from Dubai World Central Airport (OMDW). 

The company said its new Middle East operation initially will add an ATR 72‐600 full flight simulator to Dynamic’s training facilities, which serve a large number of commercial airlines and business jet operators worldwide.

“Ansett Aviation Training has a proud history of offering simulator training services in Australia, Europe, and Asia,” said Mark Delany, CEO of AAT. “We are delighted to be expanding our services into Dubai and working closely with the teams at Dynamic Advanced Training and Dubai South to develop training solutions for the aviation industry.”

“We are pleased to welcome Ansett Aviation Training to Dynamic Advanced Training’s facility, with whom we are proud to have a partnership,” said Tahnoon Saif, CEO of Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub. “We are confident that the new addition in the center will enhance the capabilities of pilots and airlines through its training solutions and contribute to Dubai’s vision of becoming a leading aviation hub.”

Ansett noted its new training center in Dubai will be ready for operations in September.

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The Dash 8, a 40-passenger regional airliner, nicknamed ‘‘Lightning McClean,’’ took off from Grant County International Airport (KMWH) and flew for 15 minutes, reaching an altitude of 3,500 feet MSL, the company said. The flight, which was conducted under a special airworthiness certificate from the FAA, marks the first time such a large aircraft has flown under fuel-cell power, Universal Hydrogen said.

For the test flight, the airplane flew with Universal Hydrogen’s fuel cell-electric powertrain mounted in a nacelle on one wing with the airplane’s usual turbine engine on the other wing, mainly for safety, Universal said.

• READ MORE: FAA Grants Universal Hydrogen Approval To Test Fuel-Cell-Powered Aircraft

“During the second circuit over the airport, we were comfortable with the performance of the hydrogen powertrain, so we were able to throttle back the fossil fuel turbine engine to demonstrate cruise principally on hydrogen power,” said Alex Kroll, a former U.S. Air Force test pilot and now the company’s chief test pilot. “The airplane handled beautifully, and the noise and vibrations from the fuel-cell powertrain are significantly lower than from the conventional turbine engine,” he said.

Representatives from Connect Airlines and Amelia, which are the U.S. and European launch customers for the hydrogen-powered aircraft, witnessed the test flight, Universal said, adding that it expects to have ATR 72 regional airliners converted to run on hydrogen and entering passenger service in 2025. The company also said it has taken orders totaling 247 aircraft conversions from 16 customers worldwide, totaling more than $1 billion in backlog and more than $2 billion in fuel services during the first ten years of operation.

“Today will go down in the history books as the true start to the decarbonization of the global airline industry and we at Connect Airlines are extremely proud of the role that we, as the first US operator, will play in leading the way with Universal Hydrogen,” said John Thomas, CEO of Connect Airlines. Connect placed an order with Universal to convert 75 ATR 72-600s to hydrogen powertrains with purchase rights for 25 additional conversions.

“With this technology, and the improvement of government positive regulations I am confident that we can turn the tide of public sentiment and once again make aviation a shining beacon of technological optimism,” added Alain Regourd, president of Amelia.

Reducing Broad-Scale Emissions

The company, backed by GE Aviation, Airbus Ventures, Toyota Ventures, JetBlue Ventures, and American Airlines said it plans to move from regional aircraft to larger models.

“More than half of aviation CO2 emissions today come from the A320 and 737 [families] of aircraft,” said Paul Eremenko, co-founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen. “Both Airbus and Boeing will need to replace these venerable airplanes with a new design starting development in the late-2020s and entering passenger service in the mid-2030s. Making their successors hydrogen airplanes is a golden opportunity—perhaps the only opportunity—for aviation to get anywhere near meeting Paris Agreement emissions targets without having to curb aviation traffic volumes.”

The post Universal Hydrogen Completes First Test Flight of Fuel Cell-Powered Airliner appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The company replaced one of the engines on its de Havilland Dash 8-300 twin turboprop airliner with a hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain. The flying testbed recently completed taxi testing to evaluate its ground handling qualities and the performance of its fuel-cell electric powertrain at low power settings and airspeeds, the company said.

• READ MORE: ATR 72 Hydrogen-Electric Demonstrator Unveiled

The power system in the Dash 8 is similar to a conversion kit that Universal makes for the ATR 72-600 regional airliner. The company said it expects the kits to be “certified and in commercial passenger service starting in 2025.” The Dash 8 is slated to make its first flight soon, during the first quarter of this year, at Grant County International Airport (KMWH) in Moses Lake, Washington.

Late last year Universal tested a modular hydrogen delivery system at its engineering center in Toulouse, France. The system is designed to eliminate the need for complex and expensive new fueling infrastructure to handle the zero-emission fuel.

“We are simultaneously providing a pragmatic, near-term solution for hydrogen infrastructure and delivery, as well as for converting existing passenger aircraft to use this lightweight, safe, and true-zero-emissions fuel,” said Paul Eremenko, co-founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen. “Today’s milestones are essential, important steps to putting the industry on a trajectory to meet Paris Agreement obligations. The only alternative is curtailing aviation traffic growth to curb emissions,” he said.

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