Test with hydrogen-powered passenger plane successful

A test flight with a 40-passenger plane powered by hydrogen fuel cells was a big success. The test flight in Jersey (US) with the largest ever hydrogen-powered plane brought aviation closer to towards decarbonizing aviation.

According to the Jersey Evening Post, the flight was a 15-minute trip. It was the first trip in a two-year flight test programme which aims to culminate in 2025 with an ATR aircraft entering passenger service powered by hydrogen.

The aircraft used in the recent test was the largest plane ever to fly powered principally by hydrogen. It reached an altitude of 3,500 feet above sea level. In the program, Ports of Jersey is working with Universal Hydrogen and Blue Islands to trial the use of green hydrogen as an alternative, fully decarbonised aviation fuel.

The reviews of the test flight were excited. To the stakeholders in the project, the test flight is a step on the way “towards a future of truly sustainable travel”, “reducing our impact through next-generation technologies is our future.” And: the “ground-breaking test flight of a hydrogen-powered regional aircraft is a major milestone in this journey – a step closer to our ultimate goal of net-zero.