Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) and Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, have signed an agreement to have the first operational hydrogen-electric Britten-Norman Islander flying in Kirkwall, Scotland by 2027.
“The short haul routes we operate in Orkney and the challenging weather conditions we face, make the ideal test bed for hydrogen-electric aircraft,” said Peter Simpson, executive chairman at Loganair. “We are incredibly proud that we could be offering the world’s first commercial zero emissions flights.”
CAeS continues to develop a proprietary hydrogen fuel-cell system, initially tailored for the Britten-Norman Islander but one which could ultimately be applied to a range of crewed and uncrewed platforms. Certification of the first hydrogen-powered Islander is expected in 2026.
“Collaborating closely with Loganair, we aim to harness our combined experience and expertise to address the operational and infrastructure considerations, ultimately ensuring the successful deployment of the hydrogen-electric Britten-Norman Islander across Loganair’s lifeline routes within the islands,” said Paul Hutton, CEO of CAeS.