Universal Hydrogen has successfully conducted a ferry flight to Mojave on its Dash-8 modified 40-passenger regional airliner. The aircraft is powered on one side by a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. The ferry flight began in Moses Lake, Washington and traveled down the west coast with four stops across Oregon and California, covering a distance of over 800 nautical miles before reaching Mojave.
Since its initial successful flight test earlier this year, Universal Hydrogen has achieved four subsequent test flights, maintaining its planned trajectory for the two-year flight test campaign
During its second flight, the converted aircraft achieved a 30-minute flight at 170 knots of indicated airspeed (KIAS), ascending to 5,000 feet. Further strides were made in the third and fourth flight tests completed on June 12, where the aircraft reached altitudes of 10,000 feet.
The aircraft is nicknamed Lightning McClean and will be parked at Mojave Air & Space Port in California where Universal Hydrogen will conduct additional test flights gearing up to its goal of commercial entry into service in late 2025.
The company has shifted base to Mojave Air & Space Port as its new flight test center from Hawthorne, California.