EVIA AERO – a start-up airline focusing on providing zero-emissions sub-regional air services within Europe – and Cranfield Aerospace Solutions – a UK SME developing a hydrogen fuel cell conversion of the 9-seat Britten Norman Islander – have entered into a strategic collaboration to bring hydrogen fuel cell-powered air services to Northern Europe.
Their collaboration, which will focus on both the aircraft operations and hydrogen infrastructure for a North European zero-emissions sub-regional air service, represents a vital step in enabling some of the first zero-emissions airline operations in the world.
“We are very happy to enter into a collaboration with Cranfield Aerospace Solutions. Sustainable aviation can only be implemented through exchange and teamwork. The outstanding developments of Cranfield and the commercial knowledge of markets in Europe of EVIA AERO are now combined.”
Florian Kruse, Founder & CEO EVIA AERO
“CAeS are delighted to have entered into this collaboration with Evia; sub-regional operations will be where zero-emissions flight will first enter service; this technology will help redefine regional connectivity and Evia’s planned route networks align perfectly with the hydrogen Islander aircraft and its expected performance. We’re very pleased to be working together with Florian and the team”.
Paul Hutton, CEO Cranfield Aerospace Solutions
About Cranfield Aerospace Solutions
CAeS is developing a conversion to a Britten Norman Islander 9-seat aircraft that will transform its propulsion system from conventional fossil fuel to that of gaseous hydrogen via a fuel cell & electric motor. The solution will be emissions free and the resulting Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) is planned to be certified for passenger flight by 2025. CAeS is an aerospace market leader in the design and manufacture of new aircraft design concepts, complex modifications to existing aircraft and integration of cutting-edge technologies for some of the world’s largest aerospace companies. CAeS is an established business with 90+ staff and is one of very few aerospace SMEs globally to have both whole aircraft design capability, and to hold a range of regulatory approvals for the design and manufacture of modifications to existing aircraft.
CAeS is based at Cranfield Airport where the Company has access to some of the UK’s most advanced aviation test and research facilities.
EVIA AERO was founded with the aim of offering climate-friendly, sustainable regional point-to-point air transport in a European route network with sustainably operated aircraft. The business model focuses on corporate travellers and demand-driven connectivity to economic regions. EVIA AERO aims to strengthen the development of regional economies by giving passengers the opportunity to travel in a cost-effective, time-saving and sustainable way. Lost markets are to be reactivated in a sustainable and economically efficient combination for a newly designed air transport product.
EVIA AERO was founded in Bremen.
Bremen’s aerospace industry comprises more than 140 companies and 20 institutes, employs over 12,000 people and generates a turnover of over 4 billion euros per year. In Bremen there are more aerospace experts as a percentage of the population than anywhere else in Germany. Bremen is the largest centre for aerospace in Germany.