Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, has unveiled plans to launch the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial flight within the next five years. Focusing on short-haul routes from Orkney, the initiative will trial hydrogen infrastructure at Kirkwall Airport, shaping Scotland’s sustainable aviation future.
Loganair’s plan forms part of the The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) expansion of its ‘Hydrogen Challenge’, and will see Loganair take steps to progress hydrogen fuel operations from its Orkney base by studying what infrastructure could be rolled out for the long-term operation of hydrogen-fuelled services in the north of Scotland.
As part of the Sustainable Aviation Test Environment, Loganair said it will work alongside Highlands and Islands Airports, AGS Ltd, Orkney Islands Council and the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership to explore how to build capacity for hydrogen powered flights.
The ‘Hydrogen Sandbox’ is due to last for another three years, with the CAA hoping Loganair’s initiative will feed into its plans for the creation of a sustainable aerospace system in the UK.
As well as Loganair, other firms taking part in the Challenge include Rolls-Royce, which in partnership with easyJet is designing gas turbines that will be compatible with net-zero fuels such as hydrogen, and Intelligent Energy which is tackling the regulatory challenges of integrating hydrogen fuel systems into aerospace designs.
“The second phase of the ‘Hydrogen Challenge’ will allow us to further test operations and work with our partners to create the necessary building blocks to allow the use of commercially viable hydrogen aircrafts,” said Rebecca Borresen, director of safety and sustainability at Loganair.
“We are at the cutting edge of innovation and are working hard with key industry partners across a range of sustainability projects. This project aims to meet the ambition of delivering the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial flight before 2030.”
According to the airline, exploring hydrogen-fuelled flights is just one facet of its ongoing push towards sustainability.
Among other projects, Loganair is working with Heart Aerospace on a hybrid-electric propelled aircraft with the capacity to carry up to 30 passengers, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cranfield Aerospace Solutions that aims to have the first hydrogen-electric aircraft flying in Kirkwall by 2027.
“Loganair is a true industry leader in this space, and we are very proud of the strides we have taken forward in making sustainable regional aviation a reality,” continued Borresen.
Expectations surrounding the future of hydrogen power for Scotland’s air industry have grown exponentially over recent years.
Transport Scotland clearly set out the importance of hydrogen fuel in its recently published Aviation Statement and Key Priorities, which sets the ambitious goal of potentially replacing all current aircraft on Public Service Obligation routes in the Highlands and Islands with hydrogen or electric aircraft by 2040.
Loganair, the Scottish air carrier and the UK’s largest regional airline, has laid out its plans to deliver the world’s first hydrogen-fuelled commercial flight within the next five years.
The airline said it had identified various short-haul routes from Orkney ‘perfect’ for hydrogen-powered services, with Kirkwall Airport aerodrome set to be used as a test site to explore how hydrogen infrastructure might be rolled out across Scottish airports.
Loganair’s plan forms part of the The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) expansion of its ‘Hydrogen Challenge’, and will see Loganair take steps to progress hydrogen fuel operations from its Orkney base by studying what infrastructure could be rolled out for the long-term operation of hydrogen-fuelled services in the north of Scotland.
As part of the Sustainable Aviation Test Environment, Loganair said it will work alongside Highlands and Islands Airports, AGS Ltd, Orkney Islands Council and the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership to explore how to build capacity for hydrogen powered flights.
The ‘Hydrogen Sandbox’ is due to last for another three years, with the CAA hoping Loganair’s initiative will feed into its plans for the creation of a sustainable aerospace system in the UK.
As well as Loganair, other firms taking part in the Challenge include Rolls-Royce, which in partnership with easyJet is designing gas turbines that will be compatible with net-zero fuels such as hydrogen, and Intelligent Energy which is tackling the regulatory challenges of integrating hydrogen fuel systems into aerospace designs.
“The second phase of the ‘Hydrogen Challenge’ will allow us to further test operations and work with our partners to create the necessary building blocks to allow the use of commercially viable hydrogen aircrafts,” said Rebecca Borresen, director of safety and sustainability at Loganair.
“We are at the cutting edge of innovation and are working hard with key industry partners across a range of sustainability projects. This project aims to meet the ambition of delivering the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial flight before 2030.”
According to the airline, exploring hydrogen-fuelled flights is just one facet of its ongoing push towards sustainability.
Among other projects, Loganair is working with Heart Aerospace on a hybrid-electric propelled aircraft with the capacity to carry up to 30 passengers, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cranfield Aerospace Solutions that aims to have the first hydrogen-electric aircraft flying in Kirkwall by 2027.
“Loganair is a true industry leader in this space, and we are very proud of the strides we have taken forward in making sustainable regional aviation a reality,” continued Borresen.
Expectations surrounding the future of hydrogen power for Scotland’s air industry have grown exponentially over recent years.
Transport Scotland clearly set out the importance of hydrogen fuel in its recently published Aviation Statement and Key Priorities, which sets the ambitious goal of potentially replacing all current aircraft on Public Service Obligation routes in the Highlands and Islands with hydrogen or electric aircraft by 2040.