Aviation H2 Director, Helmut Mayer (left) & Ben Morgan, FalconAir General Manager (right), signing the strategic partnership. Pic: Supplied
Aviation H2 joins forces with FalconAir to help deliver Australia’s first hydrogen plane
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Aviation H2 has taken a crucial step in developing Australia’s first hydrogen-powered plane after forming a strategic partnership with charter operator FalconAir.
The alliance with FalconAir – a specialist provider of charter and emergency medical evacuations in Australia and the Asia Pacific region – will grant Aviation H2 access to its partner’s hangar, facilities and operating licences in which to build its prototype plane.
FalconAir will also help Aviation H2 acquire the test engine and aircraft that the company will modify to use liquid ammonia – its hydrogen carrier of choice.
It will also provide specialist and licensed aircraft maintenance engineering, piloting and hangarage while using its proven expertise to help communicate with aviation authorities and accelerate the certification process.
“This marks a monumental step towards developing a technology that will lead to the decarbonisation of the aviation industry, which contributes 2.5 per cent to global emissions,” Aviation H2 director Dr Helmut Mayer said.
“We now have a hangar, options for purchasing an aeroplane and a clear plan for how we want to build the plane.”
“In the next 12 months, we intend to convert a jet engine for testing, then modify a Falcon 50 so it runs on green hydrogen.”
He added that FalconAir’s extensive experience in dealing with these aircraft and its global network of relationships will prove instrumental in purchasing both the aircraft and the test engine.
Launching a capital raise
With momentum on its side, the company has also launched a capital raise via the online platform VCEX to fund the purchase of test engines and the construction of its first modification prototype.
Success will pave the way for the company to make its first test fly in the middle of 2023.
Once complete, Aviation H2 will have a patentable method for modifying aircraft so they operate on carbon-free fuel. Following this, it will seek to certify and commercialise their revolutionary product through a planned public listing on a major exchange in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Aviation H2 feasibility study
After recently completing their feasibility study, which outlines a clear path towards building one of the world’s first hydrogen-fuelled planes, Aviation H2 says they are on track to having a plane in the sky by the middle of 2023.
Aviation H2’s research found that liquid ammonia would be the best hydrogen carrier due to its high density and power generation combined with industry being no strangers to dealing with transporting and handling ammonia.
It also selected the Dassault Falcon 50 business jet – a long-ranged international business charter jet aircraft – for the flight test as the model has three engines.
This allows for the replacement of a third engine with one modified to use liquid ammonia before the main engines are replaced.
This article was developed in collaboration with Aviation H2, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
