Having purchased the Oberpfaffenhofen site and the Dornier 228 programme in 2021, the German aircraft manufacturer General Atomics AeroTec Systems (GA-ATS) has announced that it has just begun production of the latest version of the passenger and special mission aircraft, the Dornier 228 NXT.
With state-of-the-art technology, improved performance and complying with current environmental regulations, the Next Generation of the Do228 will once again be produced in Oberpfaffenhofen.
The Do228 NXT is based on the long-standing successful Dornier 228 and has been adapted through technical optimisation to meet all current requirements, both for passenger and special mission aircraft. The principal focus of the Do228 NXT will be on series production and further optimisation of the aircraft.
General Atomics AeroTec Systems will recommence small-series production of the aircraft in Oberpfaffenhofen, manufacturing up to five Do228 NXT per annum. Consequently, the company is constructing a modern production line with integrated manufacturing methods. Most of the manufacturing will take place on site, including the production of elementary structural components.
The Do228 has been in successful service worldwide for multiple decades for maritime patrol (pollution control, search and rescue missions, border control, fisheries patrol), research flights, surveillance and reconnaissance, and light transport missions (cargo, parachutists, passengers, MedEvac). One of the principal features of the aircraft is its ability to take off and land on short tracks (STOL). Additionally, it can operate on unpaved runways.
General Atomics AeroTec Systems also offers upgrades, modernization, maintenance and repairs for the Do228. General Atomics AeroTec Systems will collaborate with French aerospace company Potez Aéronautique to produce the Do228 NXT fuselage in the future, further strengthening its European supply chain. Furthermore, Potez Aéronautique will take over the production of selected individual parts for final assembly and deliver them to Oberpfaffenhofen.
