Bremen, Germany-based start-up Evia Aero has added five more hydrogen fuel cell (HFC)-based conversion kits for the nine seat Britten Norman Islander aircraft to its existing letter of intent with Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS). This brings to 15 the total number of modification kits plus supplementary type certificates to be supplied by CAeS to Evia Aero. At the time of the first order, Evia Aero said it planned to develop sustainable aviation around the northern coasts of Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.

In addition to this, Evia Aero has signed a separate LOI for the supply of ten 19 seat passenger aircraft to be powered by a scaled-up version of CAeS' HFC based propulsion system.

CAeS made public its strategy to reinvigorate whole aircraft design and manufacture in the UK at this year's Farnborough Airshow. This includes the development of a larger propulsion system based on the system in development today, at first retrofitting it into a more powerful, longer range platform before moving onto clean sheet aircraft, optimised around the novel propulsion system. It has not yet been determined whether the aircraft ordered by Evia Aero will be a modification to an existing design or a new concept aircraft.

Included in the terms for the 19 seat passenger aircraft is the collaboration between Evia Aero and CAeS on the development of performance specifications for this aircraft type and on maintenance requirements for the new hydrogen aircraft.

CAeS CEO Paul Hutton says: “We have developed a fantastic relationship with Evia Aero and are delighted that its confidence in CAeS' capabilities continues to grow with the signing of additional orders for nine seat Britten-Norman Islander modification kits and our future 19 seat aircraft. By working together, we can make zero-emissions flight a reality.”

Evia Aero founder and CEO Florian Kruse adds: “Our joint mission with CAeS for sustainable aviation has been very successful in recent months. More and more airports are committing to our system, which is based on the entire value chain of sustainable aviation. To meet the needs of the markets for the future, we have decided to order more conversion kits and to set out with Cranfield Aerospace for a future with 19 seaters for regional traffic. As it stands, our order book is complete for the rest of the decade.”