(Everett, USA) – British-American developer of hydrogen-electric aircraft, Zero Avia Inc., has taken delivery of a Bombardier Q400 turboprop regional aircraft from Alaska Airlines. The handover of the aircraft, also known as the Dash 8-400, took place at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) in Everett, Washington, the research and development site of Zero Avia, in the presence of representatives from politics and business.
Q400 specifically for research purposes
When Alaska Airlines-owned regional airline Horizon Air retired its Q400 fleet, it reportedly reserved one of the aircraft specifically for research and development purposes to further advance zero-emission technology for the aviation industry. Alaska Air Group, the fifth largest US airline with a large regional network, became an investor in Zero Avia in 2021.
The 76-seat Bombardier is now to be retrofitted with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system. The aircraft was given a special paint job - as a recognition effect for the project.
Zero Avia demonstrated its modular electric motor system aboard the Hyper Truck ground test rig at Pain Fields. © Alaska Airlines / Joe Nicholson
At the event, Zero Avia also unveiled its new multi-megawatt modular electric motor system. There was a short demonstration of the prototype for the guests on board the 15-ton ground test stand called the “Hyper Truck”. In combination with PEM fuel cells, the technology is “one of the three most important building blocks for the development of commercially relevant hydrogen fuel cell engines for larger aircraft,” the company explained.
Hyper Core modular design
According to the company, the presented 1,8 megawatt motor configuration consists of two “Hyper Core” modules. Each of the 900 kilowatt radial flux permanent magnet motors operates at 20.000 revolutions per minute. This corresponds to “the typical turbine speeds of aircraft engines”. The modular design of the technology enables applications from 900 kilowatts to 5,4 megawatts. The Hyper Cores would be integrated into the Dash 8-400's stock transmission and propeller, "significantly simplifying integration into the aircraft as a replacement for a stock turbine engine."
The development and testing program combines Zero Avia's silicon carbide power electronics with hydrogen fuel cell systems "to create a complete hydrogen-electric propulsion system" that will be tested on the ground and then in the air.
A hydrogen-powered 19-seat Dornier 228 completed its first circuit at the British Zero Avia research site in Gloucestershire in January this year. © Zero Avia
In January, a converted 19-seat Dornier 228 completed a ten-minute full circuit at the company's UK research base at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire . The twin-engine aircraft was reportedly modified to carry Zero Avia's hydrogen-electric propulsion system on the left wing, alongside a single Honeywell TPE-331 engine on the right wing. Lithium-ion battery packs supported the hydrogen-electric powertrain during takeoff and provided additional redundancy for safe testing.
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Alaska Airlines donates a Q400 to Zero Avia for the development of hydrogen propulsion technologies. © Alaska Airlines / Joe Nicholson
