Deutsche Aircraft

Last updated
Deutsche Aircraft
Company type Aircraft manufacturer
Founded2020;4 years ago (2020)
Headquarters Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Key people
Dave Jackson (CEO) Nico Neumann (COO)
Products D328eco
Number of employees
  • 450 (2023)
  • 550 (2024)
Parent Sierra Nevada Corporation
Website https://www.deutscheaircraft.com/

Deutsche Regional Aircraft GmbH (branded simply as "Deutsche Aircraft") is a German aircraft manufacturer based in the village of Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany.

Contents

History

Render of D328eco The D328eco from Deutsche Aircraft.png
Render of D328eco

The history of Deutsche Aircraft dates back to German aircraft manufacturer, Dornier Flugzeugwerke. Founded in 1914, Dornier Flugzeugwerke made many aircraft for both the civil and military markets. [1]  

The Dornier 328 program began in the mid-1980s, with the turboprop entering commercial service in October 1993. [2] The concept for the aircraft evolved over the years under the Daimler-Benz group, Fairchild Dornier and AvCraft Aviation. [1]

In 2006, 328 Support Services GmbH (328SSG) was founded and took over the Type Certificate (TC) rights for the Dornier 328 (D328). [3] It was rebranded as Deutsche Regional Aircraft GmbH in 2011. [4] In February 2015, it was acquired by US aerospace and engineering company Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). [5]

Deutsche Aircraft began operations as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) on 7 December 2020, with the support of its parent company, SNC. The headquarters of Deutsche Aircraft is at Oberpfaffenhofen Airport, near Munich.

Operations

As the major supplier of parts for the Dornier 328 series, [4] Deutsche Aircraft's Global Support Centre in Oberpfaffenhofen provides technical and engineering support for the in-service fleet of D328 aircraft.

Product

Aircraft in development

So far, the only aircraft produced by Deutsche Aircraft is the Deutsche Aircraft D328 Eco.Product list and details
AircraftDescriptionCapacityFirst FlightFirst Delivery
D328eco Turboprop-powered commuter airliner based on the Dornier 328 402025 [6] 2025 [6]

D328eco

The D328eco is a double-engine turboprop, designed to be an elongated version of the Do328. It was scheduled to enter into service in 2026 which has been pushed back to late 2027, supposedly due to new certification requirements. [7] It is designed to run fully on H2-SAF sustainable fuel, and will have a maximum cruising speed of 324 knots. [8]

To develop the D328eco, Deutsche Aircraft collaborated with a number of suppliers within the global aviation sector, including Pratt & Whitney Canada, [9] Garmin, [10] Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse, [11] Aciturri, [12] and Heggemann [13]

The D328eco will be built at the new final assembly line at Leipzig/Halle Airport. The 62,000 m² facility will have a production capacity of 48 D328eco aircraft per year, including a production hall, a hangar for aircraft delivery, a logistics centre and an administration building. [14]

The ground-breaking ceremony for the final assembly line took place in May 2023, and Deutsche Aircraft announced Private Wings as the launch customer for the D328eco, with an initial purchase of five aircraft. [14]

Research and development

Many of Deutsche Aircraft's research projects investigating future flight technologies and emerging energy sources are part of the LuFo Klima Civil Aviation Research Programme, [15] co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) and developed in conjunction with research and government institutions such as the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI).

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dornier Flugzeugwerke</span> German aircraft manufacturer

Dornier Flugzeugwerke was a German aircraft manufacturer founded in Friedrichshafen in 1914 by Claude Dornier. Over the course of its long lifespan, the company produced many designs for both the civil and military markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DASA</span> 1989–2000 German aerospace manufacturer

DASA was a German aerospace manufacturer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dornier Do 24</span> 1937 multi-role flying boat family by Dornier

The Dornier Do 24 is a 1930s German three-engine flying boat designed by the Dornier Flugzeugwerke for maritime patrol and search and rescue. A total of 279 were built among several factories from 1937 to 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">German Aerospace Center</span> German research center for aerospace and power engineering

The German Aerospace Center is the national center for aerospace, energy and transportation research of Germany, founded in 1969. It is headquartered in Cologne with 35 locations throughout Germany. The DLR is engaged in a wide range of research and development projects in national and international partnerships.

AvCraft Technical Services was a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina U.S., based company that supplied maintenance and technical support services for owners/operators of Bombardier Dash 8, ATR 42, ATR 72 and Fairchild Dornier 328 turboprop and jet aircraft.

Oberpfaffenhofen is a village that is part of the municipality of Weßling in the district of Starnberg, Bavaria, Germany. It is located about 23 km (14 mi) from the city center of Munich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dornier 228</span> Transport aircraft family by Dornier

The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, designed and first manufactured by Dornier GmbH from 1981 until 1998. Two hundred and forty-five were built in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. In 1983, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) bought a production licence and manufactured another 125 aircraft in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. In July 2017, 63 aircraft were still in airline service.

The Fairchild Dornier 728/928 family is a series of jet-powered regional airliners that was being developed by German-American aviation conglomerate Fairchild Dornier.

Minerva Airlines was an airline based in Italy, which was operational from 1996 to 2003.

Arcus-Air GmbH & Co. KG is an airline. Arcus Executive Aviation is based in Zweibrücken, Germany and Arcus Air Logistics in Troisdorf, Germany operating chartered cargo and corporate flights out of Mannheim City Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private Wings</span> German airline

Private Wings Flugcharter GmbH is a German charter airline that was founded in 1991 and operates chartered corporate, cargo and air ambulance services out of Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Its head office is located in the General Aviation Terminal on the property of Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Schönefeld, Brandenburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dornier 328</span> Regional airliner family by Dornier

The Dornier 328 is a turboprop-powered commuter airliner. Initially produced by Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH, the firm was acquired in 1996 by Fairchild Aircraft. The resulting firm, named Fairchild-Dornier, manufactured the 328 family in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, conducted sales from San Antonio, Texas, United States, and supported the product line from both locations. A jet-powered version of the aircraft, the Fairchild Dornier 328JET, was also produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairchild Dornier 328JET</span> Regional airliner

The Fairchild-Dornier 328JET is a commuter airliner, based upon the turboprop-powered Dornier 328, developed by the German aircraft manufacturer Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH. It would be the last Dornier-designed aircraft to reach production before the company's collapse during the early 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mannheim City Airport</span> Minor regional airport in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Mannheim City Airport is a minor regional airport serving the German city of Mannheim. It is mainly used for general aviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RUAG</span> Swiss company specializing in aerospace engineering and the defense industry

RUAG Holding is a Swiss company specialising in aerospace engineering and the defence industry. Its headquarters are located in Bern, while it also has numerous production sites in Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Hungary, Austria and United States, and sales companies in Australia, UK, France, Belgium, Brazil and Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dornier Do 28</span> Type of aircraft

The type designation Dornier Do 28 comprises two different twin-engine STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier Flugzeugbau GmbH. Most of them served with the German Air Force and Marineflieger and other air forces around the world in the communications and utility role. The Do 28 series consists of the fundamentally different Do 28 A/B (1959) and Do 28 D Skyservant (1966).

Sierra Nevada Corporation is an American aerospace, defense, electronics, engineering and manufacturing corporation that specializes in aircraft modification, integration and other space technologies. The corporation contracts with the Defense Department, NASA, and private spaceflight companies. The corporation is headquartered in Sparks, Nevada, and has 36 locations in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Turkey.

MHS Aviation GmbH is a German charter airline headquartered in Oberhaching, Bavaria. MHS Aviation is based at nearby Munich Airport, Special Airport Oberpfaffenhofen as well as Mannheim City Airport. The company specializes in aircraft charter, aircraft management, aircraft lease and VIP service. It currently operates a fleet of 20 charter aircraft. The majority of the fleet consists of business aircraft. In addition, six Dornier 328 aircraft are operated for Rhein-Neckar Air on a scheduled domestic service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liebherr Aerospace</span> Aerospace equipment manufacturing company

Liebherr-Aerospace is the aerospace equipment manufacturing division of Liebherr. The company is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM); its low visibility in the minds of end consumers can be attributed to the OEM nature of all its operations.

References

  1. 1 2 "Sierra Nevada Corporation Expands into Global Aircraft Markets through Investments in UK and Germany - SNC Acquires 328 Support Services GmbH (press release)". Sierra Nevada Corporation. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  2. "When the Dornier first entered service" . Retrieved 2024-08-20.
  3. "FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A45NM (PDF)" (PDF). 9 September 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  4. 1 2 Sampson, Ben (11 October 2021). "328 Services renames to Deutsche Aircraft for aircraft development". Aerospace Testing International. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  5. Thisdell, Dan (18 February 2015). "New era for Dornier 328 with Sierra Nevada acquisition". Flight Global. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  6. 1 2 Eiselin, Stefan (1 February 2021). ""Wir glauben, dass unser Flugzeug besser ist als die ATR 42"" [«We believe that our aircraft is better than the ATR 42»]. aerotelegraph.com (in German). Retrieved 28 June 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. Steinke, Sebastian (2024-07-05). "Erweiterte Zulassung nach neuen Standards: D328eco-Indienststellung nun erst Ende 2027". www.flugrevue.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-16.
  8. https://www.aircraft-commerce.com/wp-content/uploads/aircraft-commerce-docs/General%20Articles/2022/142_DEVELOP.pdf
  9. Sampson, Ben (2022-06-24). "Deutsche Aircraft selects Pratt engine for D328eco". Aerospace Testing International. Retrieved 2024-07-30.
  10. Polek, Gregory (1 June 2021). "Garmin to Provide Avionics For Converted D328eco Airliner". Aviation International News (AIN). Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  11. Angrand, Antony (21 June 2023). "Liebherr supplies air system for Deutsche Aircraft's D328eco". Air & Cosmos International. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  12. Tyrrell, Michael (21 July 2022). "Deutsche Aircraft selects Aciturri as aerostructures supplier". Aerospace Manufacturing. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  13. "Deutsche Aircraft and HEGGEMANN AG Announce the Production Readiness of the Dornier 328 Landing Gear". Aviation Pros. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
  14. 1 2 "Deutsche Aircraft Breaks Ground At Leipzig/Halle Airport For The Final Assembly Line Of The World's Most Modern And Sustainable Turboprop: The New D328eco™". Mitteldeutsche Flughafen. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  15. "The federal aviation research programme LuFo Climate". German Aerospace Center (DLR). Retrieved 27 June 2024.