328 Support Services has officially become Deutsche Aircraft GmbH. The new company name follows the reestablishment of the company as an aircraft original equipment manufacturer.

Deutsche Aircraft will continue the development of the D328eco aircraft, a 40 seat hybrid green tech turboprop that is SAF compatible and features an integrated Companion flight deck based on the Garmin 5000 avionics suite. The D328eco is expected to enter into service by end of 2025.

Headquartered in Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, Deutsche Aircraft will continue to provide maintenance and technical support to the global D328 fleet in service. Deutsche Aircraft also has plans to grow its engineering, operations, programmes and supply chain teams to support the D328eco programme development. The first prototypes of the D328eco will be built in Oberpfaffenhofen with flight testing scheduled to start in 2024.

A new final assembly line in Leipzig is on target to be operational by the end of 2024. Restarting production in Germany allows it to capitalise on the growing demand for aircraft of this size with a proven platform, the company says.

“It is a very exciting time in aviation and at Deutsche Aircraft. We have a new aircraft OEM, new facilities and a growing team,” says Dave Jackson, managing director of Deutsche Aircraft. “To embark on this journey, we needed a strong brand that embodies our ambitions and brings us closer together. Deutsche Aircraft's brand refers to our German aviation engineering heritage, our environmental and sustainability consciousness, and our passion for aircraft.”