Scotland’s largest regional airline, LoganAir, is taking early steps toward adopting hydrogen propulsion for commercial flights. During the Paris Air Show last week, the carrier announced a partnership with ZeroAvia—an aerospace company with operations in the UK and US—to explore the potential integration of hydrogen-electric engines into its fleet.
Building on recent commercial traction, ZeroAvia has signed a memorandum of understanding with LoganAir on the heels of its earlier agreement with UK’s RVL Aviation, the intended launch operator for its ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain. The initial testbed will be a Cessna Caravan outfitted with the 600-kilowatt system, designed for aircraft carrying between 10 and 20 passengers.
ZeroAvia to retrofit Cessna Caravan as launch platform for ZA600
ZeroAvia has chosen the Caravan as the debut airframe for the ZA600. Since its first sale to Jetcruzer International in February, the company claims to have secured over 2,000 preorders, including a conditional agreement with United Airlines for 100 units.
The company is advancing certification efforts with the UK Civil Aviation Authority for its ZA600 and larger ZA2000 hydrogen-electric systems, targeting aircraft like the Twin Otter and ATR series. LoganAir operates three Twin Otters, more than 20 ATRs, and several other regional aircraft including the Embraer 145 and BN-2 Islander.
According to LoganAir CEO Luke Farajallah, the airline’s fleet and route network are well-suited to ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric technology. Expressing optimism about the partnership, Farajallah emphasized the airline’s commitment to a more sustainable future.
ZeroAvia’s engines generate power by using hydrogen fuel cells to drive electric motors connected to propellers, producing only water as a byproduct. Since regional turboprops operate below the altitude where contrails form, the company claims their in-flight emissions are virtually zero.
The company’s founder and CEO, Val Miftakhov, highlighted the strong fit between LoganAir’s route network and ZeroAvia’s ZA600 and ZA2000 engine technologies, expressing hope that this partnership will mark the beginning of a lasting relationship that advances cleaner air travel for passengers across Scotland and the UK.
Fuel cells better suited for smaller aircraft due to size and weight limits
While hydrogen fuel costs more than kerosene per unit of energy, its higher efficiency may reduce overall fuel consumption. Research varies on the expense of manufacturing and acquiring hydrogen fuel cells, but most agree that traditional jet engines remain more cost-effective at present.
Fuel cells require a larger and heavier system to match the power output of a jet engine, making them better suited for smaller aircraft—such as regional turboprops—where their lower power density is less of a limitation.
Switching to fuel cells instead of burning hydrogen in gas turbines removes the need for liquid hydrogen storage and complex transportation to airports. According to the US Department of Energy, fuel cells may also reduce maintenance costs due to having fewer moving parts than traditional engines.