Universal Hydrogen selects new flight test centre

Universal Hydrogen, the company achieving true-zero emission aviation with renewable hydrogen, has selected the Mojave Air & Space Port as its new flight test centre, and also announced the successful ferry flight to Mojave of its Dash-8 modified 40-passenger regional airliner, powered on one side by a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. This move signals the next phase in its extensive flight-testing regimen. Since its initial successful flight test earlier this year, Universal Hydrogen has achieved four subsequent test flights, maintaining its planned trajectory for the two-year flight test campaign expected to culminate in 2025. During its second flight, the converted aircraft achieved a 30-minute flight at 170 knots of indicated airspeed (KIAS), ascending to 5,000 feet. Further strides were made in the third and fourth flight tests completed on June 12, where the aircraft reached altitudes of 10,000 feet.

The ferry flight began in Moses Lake, Washington and travelled down the west coast with four stops across Oregon and California, covering a distance of over 800 nautical miles before reaching Mojave. “Lightning McClean,” as the aircraft is called, will reside at the Mojave Air & Space Port in California where Universal Hydrogen will conduct additional test flights gearing up to its goal of commercial entry into service in late 2025. The hydrogen powertrain was fully utilized for each take-off, and on the first three legs of the ferry it was throttled down after take off. On the last leg the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain was used for duration of the entire flight, accruing over 180 nautical miles, and a flight time of over one hour, which is the longest flight by a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain to date.

Universal Hydrogen’s global headquarters is in Hawthorne, California and moving the aircraft and flight test activities to Mojave represents a substantial increase in its presence in the state. The Mojave centre consolidates test flight operations nearer to its headquarters, and also will allow the company to take advantage of a strong engineering talent pool in Mojave as well as nearby Los Angeles.