Manufacturer of hydrogen electric aircraft ZeroAvia and Rotterdam The Hague Airport expect to operate flights between the airport and London from 2024. The converted aircraft can carry 19 passengers.
The participating parties do not yet give details about how often a route will be flown, how many planes will be used and how much a ticket should cost. The parties, including Royal Schiphol Group and The Hague Innovation Airport Foundation, claim to be in advanced talks with airlines that can operate the flights.
It will be the first commercial zero-emission flight between the UK and the Netherlands, the parties say. It may also be the first international commercial zero-emission flight worldwide. With the flights ZeroAvia and Schiphol want to test, demonstrate and integrate the hydrogen supply chain with the airport. In addition, the parties want to establish the necessary legal framework with the flights and to map the demand for hydrogen flights from industry and the public.
ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric aircraft operate similar to hydrogen-electric cars, with a hydrogen tank in the wings and a hydrogen fuel cell behind the engine. This fuel cell is used to drive electric motors. The only emission is water. The company says it has the vision that the hydrogen needed is made with wind and solar energy.
ZeroAvia writes on his site that it has several existing aircraft in mind that it would like to convert for the hydrogen-electric flights. Based on the photo the company shares this week, ZeroAvia will use a converted Dornier Do-228. It should have a peak power of 600kW and a rated power of 400kW. The first test flights should take place in the second half of this year or in the coming year. The range of the aircraft would be 926 kilometers.
