Connect Airlines and hydrogen propulsion solutions company Universal Hydrogen announced a firm order for 75 ATR 72-600 aircraft that will be converted to be powered by fuel from green hydrogen sources. The agreement follows an initial letter of intent signed by both companies in 2021.
The order also includes purchase rights for an additional 25 aircraft. If finalized, the move would make the passenger carrier the first of its kind to run all of its operations with zero associated emissions. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2025.
«We are building Connect Airlines from the ground up as a smarter, more sustainable travel option for North American travelers», said John Thomas, CEO of Connect Airlines. «We have committed to being the world’s first true zero-emission airline and the only way to accomplish this in the near term is with hydrogen», he added.
The airline, owned by Waltzing Matilda Aviation, expects to begin commercial operations during 2022. It plans to offer services between Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre (YTZ) regional airport and cities in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States, with a fleet comprised entirely of green hydrogen-powered ATR aircraft.
«We see the partnership with Universal Hydrogen as the fastest path to zero-emission operation because they offer both an affordable retrofit solution for the existing airplane fleet, as well as a pragmatic approach to delivering hydrogen to any airport in our route network», Thomas concluded.
Universal Hydrogen offers hydrogen fuel services at airports. Using modular capsules, it facilitates transport and handling. This reduces the need to wait for adaptations to existing infrastructure and enables deployment on a larger scale. As part of the agreement, the company will supply fuel to the entire Connect Airlines fleet.
In addition, it is currently working to certify a powertrain conversion kit to retrofit existing regional aircraft to fly on hydrogen.
See also: Universal Hydrogen and Connect Airlines aim to create the first zero-emission airline in the U.S.
