The aviation industry has serious emissions, and the situation we are in reveals that serious savings need to be made in this regard. Manufacturers and entrepreneurs are working on electric and hydrogen-based solutions. On the other hand, the German aircraft powertrain developer announced that it has completed the world’s first piloted flight of an electric aircraft powered by liquid hydrogen.First flight with liquid hydrogen and pilot
Stuttgart-based company H2FLY, acquired by Joby Aviation in 2021, performed four flights, one of which exceeded three hours, with its HY4 demonstration aircraft equipped with a state-of-the-art hydrogen-electric fuel cell propulsion system and cryogenically stored liquid hydrogen. The achievement sheds light on the future of aviation technology as we know it, with H2FLY describing it as “a milestone in the use of hydrogen to power aircraft.”
Replacing gaseous hydrogen with liquid hydrogen holds promise for cleaner and more sustainable air travel by increasing the maximum range of the HY4 aircraft from approximately 750 km to approximately 1,500 km. While other ways to provide more sustainable fuel for aircraft are being explored, none appear to be as feasible as hydrogen energy.This latest flight activity shows the point the HEAVEN Project, the state-supported consortium led by H2FLY, has reached. This consortium, created to study the feasibility of liquid, cryogenic hydrogen in aircraft, includes partners such as Air Liquide, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, German Aerospace Center (DLR) and EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies.
Tanks filled with liquefied, cryogenic hydrogen (LH2) weigh significantly less than those filled with pressurized gaseous hydrogen (GH2). Therefore, longer range or higher payload flights may be possible thanks to LH2.
A clean future is not far away
H2FLY’s journey doesn’t end here. The company is now focused on the commercialization path and recently took a step closer to practical commercial aircraft applications by announcing the development of H2F-175 fuel cell systems capable of delivering full power at flight altitudes of up to 27,000 feet.H2FLY is also preparing to open the Hydrogen Aviation Center at Stuttgart Airport in 2024. The center will offer facilities for fuel cell aircraft integration and serve as a hub for the future of Europe’s aviation industry. Giants of the aviation industry such as EasyJet, Airbus and Rolls-Royce and their Hydrogen in Aviation (HIA) association also advocate increasing investment and research on hydrogen-powered flights. The association believes that hydrogen as an aviation fuel can deliver significant economic benefits and accelerate the transition to zero-carbon aviation.
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