Hydrogen-Electric Engine to Power UK Cargo Flights

Source: ZeroAvia

Charter and services specialist RVL Aviation plans to operate cargo flights using Cessna 208B Caravan aircraft retrofitted with a hydrogen-electric powertrain developed by ZeroAvia.  Based at East Midlands Airport, RVL Aviation, which conducts a range of aerial activities and maintenance services, plans to utilize the Caravan equipped with ZeroAvia’s ZA600 powertrain for domestic UK cargo services. The company is currently working on an aircraft lease agreement with global asset management firm Monte to facilitate the new service.

ZeroAvia claims that these domestic UK services are “likely to be the world’s first hydrogen-electric commercial operations.” The propulsion specialist has already flight-tested a prototype of the ZA600 powertrain in the UK using a converted Dornier 228. According to ZeroAvia, the ZA600 is currently undergoing a certification application with the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Both RVL Aviation and ZeroAvia believe that the retrofitted Caravan would meet operational requirements while significantly reducing its climate impact.

The ZeroAvia ZA600 engine is a hydrogen-electric powertrain designed to power aircraft. It utilizes compressed gaseous hydrogen stored onboard, which is then fed into fuel cell stacks. Inside these stacks, a chemical reaction between the hydrogen and oxygen from the air generates electricity, producing only water vapor and heat as byproducts. This clean electricity then powers high-performance electric motors developed by ZeroAvia, which in turn drive the aircraft’s propellers to create thrust for flight. The system includes inverters to manage the power flow from the fuel cells to the motors.

In essence, the ZA600 system replaces traditional, polluting combustion engines with a clean energy conversion process. By using hydrogen to generate electricity that directly powers the propellers, the engine achieves zero direct emissions during flight.

Flights with the hydrogen-electric Caravan are slated to commence once the engine, its airframe integration, and the planned services receive the necessary certifications, and pilot training is complete.