Air New Zealand gains more next gen aircraft partners

Universal Hydrogen, Embraer and Heart Aerospace join Airbus and ATR as long-term partners Air New Zealand is working with on its mission to replace its Q300 domestic fleet with a more sustainable option from 2030.

These partners will work alongside Air New Zealand to accelerate the development and introduction of zero emissions aircraft technology for regional fleets in New Zealand.

Air New Zealand chief sustainability officer Kiri Hannifin says working with the world’s leading innovators is critical to addressing the climate crisis.

“Through our partnerships with Airbus and ATR, we’ve been able to deepen our understanding of the impact green hydrogen and battery hybrid aircraft may have on our network, operations and infrastructure, as well as the opportunities and challenges of flying low and zero emissions aircraft in New Zealand,” she explains.

“Adding Universal Hydrogen, Embraer and Heart Aerospace will broaden our knowledge of the technologies being developed for potential future aircraft.”

Hannifin says this isn’t about selecting a new aircraft.

“It’s about growing our collective understanding to advance a new era of travel. These partners were selected because they are taking action now to progress decarbonising the aviation industry.”

Air New Zealand’s long-term partners are developing green hydrogen and battery-hybrid aircraft with between 30 and 200 seats.

The company has also teamed up with Victoria University of Wellington’s Robinson Research Institute to help the airline evaluate and validate aircraft propulsion technology as concepts develop and mature.

The research institution is a world-leader in developing power electronics and superconducting machines and is working on their application to the aviation industry.

“Air New Zealand will work with Paihau – Robinson Research Institute to ensure new aircraft technology can be integrated into New Zealand’s future air transport system,” says Hannifin.

While zero emissions aircraft technology will help decarbonise the airline’s domestic network over the period to 2050, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is critical in the near term, particularly for the long-haul fleet, Air New Zealand adds.

SAF is a ‘drop in’ fuel which when combined with jet fuel can power the airline’s current aircraft.

This can reduce emissions for long haul travel and domestic flights while the airline continues to operate conventional aircraft, Air New Zealand explains.

The inputs and processes used to make SAF result in lower lifecycle emissions than fossil jet, with the opportunity to generate significant CO2 savings.

” Under our existing agreement, we have already determined that New Zealand offers an ideal test environment to develop the ecosystems necessary to support hydrogen-powered aircraft operations.,” says Airbus zero emission ecosystem head Karine Guenan.

“The next phase will go into more detail on potential aircraft design and performance that would meet Air New Zealand’s requirements, building upon the long-standing partnership we have together.”

ATR chief executive Nathalie Tarnaud Laude says that with Mission NextGen it will be supporting Air New Zealand “in every step of this challenging adventure in investigating disruptive innovations to turn our commitments into tangible reality”.

Embraer Commercial Aviation president and chief executive Arjan Meijer says that as a global leader in regional aircraft it is ideally positioned to bring disruptive technologies to smaller aircraft first.

“Smaller, regional aircraft are going to be the first platforms on which new fuel and propulsion systems can be introduced effectively.”

Heart Aerospace chief executive and co-founder Anders Forslund says Air New Zealand is leading the way with its efforts to reduce emissions from air travel, which Universal Hydrogen co-founder and chief executive Paul Eremenko agrees with.

“We look forward to a fruitful collaboration that will help launch a new golden age of aviation.”

Paihau – Robinson Research Institute deputy director professor Rod Badcock says that being proudly New Zealand-based it’s particularly rewarding for the institute to support the country’s flag carrier “on what is ultimately a goal of huge national significance”.