Hanneke Weitering is a writer and editor with AIN covering advanced air mobility and new flight technologies. She became an aviation journalist and joined the AIN team in the summer of 2022 after reporting on spaceflight and astronomy for six years at Space.com. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, she moved to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in science, health, and environmental reporting at New York University&#039;s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She is now based in Seattle near Boeing Field and spends her free time exploring nature in the Pacific Northwest.

Science & Technology Editor

Hanneke Weitering

Hydrogen propulsion innovator ZeroAvia is back at the Farnborough International Airshow with its largest exhibit yet. The company, which splits its operations between Washington state and the UK, will also announce this week commercial agreements with a pair of airlines and the developer of a new seaplane.
The first of these deals to be announced early on Monday morning will see Swiss start-up Jekta select ZeroAvia's fuel cell power generation system as the basis for a planned hydrogen-electric version of its PHA-ZE 100 amphibious aircraft. Jekta anticipates the technology will allow its <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-05-10/cabin-designs-show-glimpse-flights-electric-seaplane">19-passenger aircraft</a> to operate on routes of up to around 326 nm, which is around four times the range of the battery-electric version currently in development.
At the Farnborough show, attendees&nbsp;will have the opportunity to see examples of the hardware behind the company’s hydrogen fuel cell-powered engines. ZeroAvia will also display designs for the 600-kilowatt ZA600 engine it’s developing to convert regional airliners such as the 19-seat <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/news-article/2024-03-13/zeroavia-concludes-first-flight-test-campaign-hydrogen-powered-dornier-228">Dornier 228</a> to hydrogen power under supplemental type certificates.
In addition to the complete hydrogen-electric engines it offers for airplane retrofits, ZeroAvia also plans to sell various individual components separately, including the electric motors, fuel cell systems, and power electronics. It is manufacturing these parts at a factory it opened in Everett, Washington earlier this year.&nbsp;
Since announcing the <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-04-26/zeroavia-offers-hydrogen-electric-component-manufacturing">component line</a> in April, ZeroAvia has seen “quite a bit of demand” for those parts, company founder and CEO Val Miftakhov told AIN. The company is also investing in developing ground infrastructure to support hydrogen-powered flight operations.
ZeroAvia’s order book for engines also continues to swell. The company has already accrued nearly 2,000 pre-orders and boasts an backlog worth up to $10 billion. Earlier this month <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-07-03/american-firms-commitment-hydrogen-powered-crj700-regional">American Airlines</a> agreed to purchase 100 of ZeroAvia’s larger, 2-megawatt ZA2000 hydrogen-electric engines to convert 70-seat Bombardier CRJ700 regional jets.
ZeroAvia aims to install the first ZA600 powertrain conversion kits under supplemental type certificates beginning in 2025, with the larger ZA2000 units to follow in 2027.&nbsp;
“In December we submitted our engine designs to the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. and the Civil Aviation Administration in the UK, which was a huge milestone, [because it] meant that we and the regulators were confident enough in our tests today, and the designs, to accept the project,” Miftakhov said.&nbsp;
“Now these are active projects at both regulators, so this is the first time we're at a major airshow with our technology under certification. It's pretty exciting.”
During this week's show, ZeroAvia is holding daily presentations and fireside chats starting at 3:30 p.m. at its stand in Hall 1. On Monday Miftakhov will kick off the events with a talk on zero-emissions flight technology. Tuesday’s discussions will center on the hydrogen fuel ecosystem and operating economics of hydrogen-electric aircraft.&nbsp;
On Wednesday, ZeroAvia chief financial officer Georgy Egorov will lead a presentation titled “Financing the Clean Future of Flight”—a topical subject following the news that <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/futureflight/2024-07-01/universal-hydrogen-runs-out-cash-and-closes-business">Universal Hydrogen</a>, another propulsion system developer, ran out of money and closed its business in late June.&nbsp;
ZeroAvia will end the show on Thursday with discussions around zero-emissions flight routes and how hydrogen-electric propulsion technologies might scale for larger aircraft.&nbsp;

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

ZeroAvia's Hydrogen Powertrain Attracts New Aircraft Applications

Hydrogen fuel cell systems, power electronics, and electric motors are on display at Farnborough show

ZeroAvia will provide its fuel cell power generation system for a hydrogen-electric version of Jekta's new amphibious aircraft.

ZeroAvia's Hydrogen Powertrain Attracts New Applications

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Sarah Rose

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

"Supply chain is affecting a lot of things right now."

Engines Leaders Rev Up for 2025

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Chinese eVTOL aircraft manufacturer has also made its first passenger demonstration flights in Thailand

EHang Seeks Higher-performance eVTOL Electric Propulsion Systems

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Trading update reports strong demand in the commercial airliner engines sector

Rolls-Royce Confirms Closure of Electric Propulsion Unit

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

RTX company Pratt & Whitney Canada is part of the government-backed INSAT program

Hydrogen Combustion Test To Start on PW127XT Turboprop Engine

Companies signed a new memorandum of understanding to expand their collaboration

ZeroAvia and PowerCell Agree To Scale Up Fuel Cell Partnership

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Farnborough Airshow 2024

In this article

ZeroAvia

More In Engines

Engines Leaders Rev Up for 2025

"Supply chain is affecting a lot of things right now."

EHang Seeks Higher-performance eVTOL Electric Propulsion Systems

Chinese eVTOL aircraft manufacturer has also made its first passenger demonstration flights in Thailand

Rolls-Royce Confirms Closure of Electric Propulsion Unit

Trading update reports strong demand in the commercial airliner engines sector

Hydrogen Combustion Test To Start on PW127XT Turboprop Engine

RTX company Pratt & Whitney Canada is part of the government-backed INSAT program

ZeroAvia and PowerCell Agree To Scale Up Fuel Cell Partnership

Companies signed a new memorandum of understanding to expand their collaboration

Rolls-Royce Expands Capacity and Predictability in Engine Support

A new hangar in Indianapolis and better access to engine data are boosting the CorporateCare program

Honeywell Ensemble Offers Real-time Engine Monitoring

The solution provides automated data reporting for business jet turbofan engines

Skydiving Operator Commits to Electric Caravan Aircraft

Norway's Skydive Voss, Dovetail Electric Aviation and Scandinavian Seaplanes will conduct flight tests

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN