Bankstown Airport has become the first airport in Australia to introduce hydrogen to power aircraft, according to an airport company press release. Airport management company Aeria Management Group (AMG) has partnered with AMSL Aero – a zero-emission long-range Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft designer and manufacturer – to introduce hydrogen as an aviation fuel at the major general aviation airport in Southwest Sydney.
“AMSL Aero will use the fuel to extend the range of its Vertiia aircraft from 300 kilometres on electric batteries to 1000km using hydrogen fuel cells, making Vertiia the longest-range passenger-capable VTOL aircraft in the world,” according to Aeria press release. “Bankstown Airport will be the launching pad for the future of Australian aviation, as the nation transitions towards net zero,” said AMG CEO Daniel Jarosch. “We are proud to partner with AMSL Aero in flying towards a greener future for essential air services, such as medical transfers, firefighting and flight training.”
AMSL Aero is using cylinders containing hydrogen onsite at its main operations at Bankstown Airport – the third busiest airport in Australia – to test the powertrain for Vertiia on the ground, before integrating the fuel into the aircraft. AMSL Aero, which flew Vertiia for the first time in 2023, will test fly the aircraft using hydrogen fuel in 2025, ahead of its planned certification and first commercial flights in 2027.
“The Commonwealth Government’s Aviation Green Paper, released in 2023, found that Australia is positioning itself to be a leader in the global uptake and development of emerging aviation technologies, such as hydrogen and electric-powered aircraft. Such technologies could see aircraft movements in Australia increase from 3 million a year to 9 million a year, the paper reported,” said the press release.
For more information
https://aeria.co/news/bankstown-airport-leads-charge-to-greener-flying/
(Image: AMSL)
