This L.A.-Based Airline Just Bought 250 Hydrogen-Powered Plane Engines for Carbon-Free Flying
Flying along the U.S.’s West Coast might get a lot greener before the decade is out.
Air Cahana just placed an order for 250 of ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric plane engines, the two companies announced earlier this week. The agreement represents a big step in the carrier’s goal of operating sustainable flights.
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The Los Angeles-based company is the first to be launched with the goal of decarbonizing air travel. Since it was founded in 2019, Air Cahana has teamed up with experts in the field of aeronautics, propulsion, and clean sheet aircraft design in an attempt to build itself into the cleanest airline in the sky. The company believes that sustainable air fuels (SAF) will allow it to offer more environmentally friendly service to California and the West Coast while it waits for zero-emission propulsion systems to become more viable.
ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric prop engines have the potential to help Air Cahana reach its end goal sooner than expected. The ZA2000 powerplant, which was designed in collaboration with Alaska Airlines, has an output range of 2,000 kW to 5,000 kW, according to Simple Flying. The power train uses hydrogen (H2) fuel that produces zero emissions, though they are not currently as efficient as those used by traditional jets. ZeroAvia is targeting a range of 500 nautical miles.
“We are at a turning point in aviation as we harness the power of hydrogen,” Air Cahana CEO Tony Thompson said in a joint statement. “By embracing this groundbreaking technology, we are making an unwavering commitment to eliminating airline emissions and dramatically reducing operating costs.”
You won’t be able to book one of Air Cahana zero-emission flights anytime soon, though. ZeroAvia plans to test its hydrogen-electric engines on a 76-seat Dash 8-Q400 aircraft that was previously operated by Alaska Airlines-subsidiary Horizon Air. The company is currently aiming for certification that would allow the powerplants to be used on planes operated by regional carriers such as Air Cahana as soon as 2027.
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