Stratus 9 eyes first US zero-emissions fractional ownership programme

Innovator in private aviation and fractional ownership Stratus 9 intends to launch the first zero-emissions fractional ownership programme in the United States. For this, it has announced plans to purchase 10 (with options for up to 15) of Cranfield Aerospace Solutions’ (CAeS) hydrogen propulsion conversion kits for the Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. The deal is valued at over $20 million. “To [fly clean,] we need to decarbonize aviation in a way that is technically and economically viable, which is why we started by fractionalizing existing aircraft that are underutilized,” said Zeeshan Moha, Co-CEO of Stratus 9. “In addition to making existing ops more sustainable, we’re also investing in the future – scaling and advancing ground-breaking technologies like CAeS’ hydrogen fuel propulsion”. The CAeS hydrogen fuel cell conversion kits will be integrated into the Islander via a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). The system is scheduled for commercial certification in 2026 and Stratus 9 is positioned to become the primary launch partner in the US consumer market by 2027. “Our collaboration with Stratus 9 is a testament to the global recognition of CAeS’s hydrogen-propulsion technology as a transformative force in the aviation industry,” said CAeS CEO Paul Sutton. “We are excited to welcome Stratus 9 as out first customer for the hydrogen-powered Islander in the US, marking a significant milestone in our pursuit of sustainable flight”. CAeS has already secured over 100 provisional orders for its hydrogen propulsion system from operators across the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, with the first flight of the technology scheduled to happen later this year.