New US Regional Carrier Plans to Be “America’s First Zero-Emission Airline” with Hydrogen-Powered Turboprops

by Tony Harrington (GreenAir Online) New US-based short-haul carrier Connect Airlines has announced plans to become “America’s first zero-emission airline”, signing a letter of intent to retrofit up to 24 turboprop aircraft with hydrogen propulsion systems from California’s Universal Hydrogen. The airline has committed to 12 conversion kits for Dash 8-300 aircraft, has purchase options for another 12 kits for other aircraft types and also signed a long-term agreement to procure green hydrogen from Universal, reports Tony Harrington. Subject to final regulatory approvals to operate flag, domestic scheduled and domestic unscheduled services, Connect Airlines will commence operations by spring 2022, initially with two conventionally-powered De Havilland Canada Q400 aircraft, linking the downtown Billy Bishop Airport in Toronto, Canada, with the major US hubs of Philadelphia International and Chicago O’Hare, and has plans for significant expansion to other major US destinations. It intends to introduce its first “true zero emission” aircraft into service in North America from 2025, when Universal’s conversion kits come to market.

Connect Airlines is a division of Waltzing Matilda Aviation, a Boston-based jet charter company, and a recent investor in Universal Hydrogen, which is developing a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain and modular capsule technology to enable containerised transfer of sustainably-produced hydrogen from its point of production to airports, for direct loading onto the aircraft it will power. The system is designed to use existing transport networks and airport service equipment, eliminating the need to construct or change fixed infrastructure. Universal initially will convert a Q300 aircraft for use as a testbed for its conversion kits, but plans to add other aircraft including ATR turboprops, before eventually expanding to conversions of larger planes, including current generation narrowbody jets.

Rival hydrogen propulsion provider ZeroAvia recently partnered with Alaska Air Group in the development of a hydrogen-electric powertrain, using a Q400 formerly operated by Alaska’s regional subsidiary Horizon Air. Alaska also secured options for up to 50 ZeroAvia conversion kits, to be used to convert the airline’s regional fleet, beginning with Q400s. READ MORE