Latvian Airline airBaltic Partners with Fokker Next Gen for Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Development

Post originally Published May 19, 2024 || Last Updated May 19, 2024

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Latvian Airline airBaltic Partners with Fokker Next Gen for Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Development - Shaping the Future of Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft


It's exciting to see Latvian airline airBaltic partnering with Fokker Next Gen to shape the future of hydrogen-powered aircraft.

AirBaltic's operational expertise will be crucial in guiding the development of this revolutionary liquid hydrogen-powered design.

While the details are still emerging, this collaboration holds promise for advancing environmentally-friendly aviation technology in the Baltic region and beyond.

Liquid hydrogen combustion, the proposed power source for the Fokker Next Gen hydrogen-powered aircraft, can potentially achieve up to 30% higher energy density compared to traditional jet fuel, enabling longer range and greater efficiency.

The partnership between airBaltic and Fokker Next Gen aims to leverage the airline's operational expertise to shape the design and development of the hydrogen-powered aircraft, ensuring it meets the specific requirements of commercial airline operations.

Fokker Next Gen's clean-sheet design approach for the hydrogen-powered aircraft allows the company to optimize the aircraft's aerodynamics and structural design, potentially leading to significant improvements in fuel efficiency compared to retrofitted conventional aircraft.

The planned 2,500 km range of the hydrogen-powered aircraft being developed by Fokker Next Gen and airBaltic represents a significant increase in the typical range of existing narrowbody aircraft, which could open up new route possibilities for airlines.

The partnership between a European airline, airBaltic, and a Dutch aircraft manufacturer, Fokker Next Gen, demonstrates the potential for cross-border collaboration in the development of innovative aviation technologies within the European Union.

Fokker Next Gen's expertise in aircraft certification, combined with airBaltic's operational feedback, could help streamline the regulatory approval process for the hydrogen-powered aircraft, potentially accelerating its entry into commercial service.

What else is in this post?

  1. Latvian Airline airBaltic Partners with Fokker Next Gen for Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Development - Shaping the Future of Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft
  2. Latvian Airline airBaltic Partners with Fokker Next Gen for Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Development - Fokker Next Gen - Pioneers in Eco-Friendly Aircraft Design
  3. Latvian Airline airBaltic Partners with Fokker Next Gen for Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Development - Envisioning the 2035 Launch of a Pioneering Aircraft

Latvian Airline airBaltic Partners with Fokker Next Gen for Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Development - Fokker Next Gen - Pioneers in Eco-Friendly Aircraft Design


Fokker Next Gen, a pioneering aircraft manufacturer, is developing a clean-sheet, hydrogen-powered narrow-body aircraft that can carry 120-150 passengers.

In a significant move, Latvian airline airBaltic has partnered with Fokker Next Gen to contribute their operational expertise and help shape the design of this revolutionary aircraft.

The planned 2,500 km range of the hydrogen-powered plane could open up new route possibilities for airlines, showcasing the potential of this eco-friendly technology to transform the aviation industry.

Fokker Next Gen's hydrogen-powered aircraft design features a liquid hydrogen storage system that utilizes advanced cryogenic technologies to maintain the fuel at extremely low temperatures, allowing for a higher energy density compared to conventional jet fuel.

The aircraft's engines are designed to directly combust the liquid hydrogen, which can potentially achieve a 30% increase in energy output per unit of fuel compared to traditional kerosene-based jet engines.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations conducted by Fokker Next Gen's engineers have revealed that the aircraft's aerodynamic design can achieve a 15% reduction in drag compared to similar-sized conventional narrowbody aircraft.

Fokker Next Gen has partnered with leading cryogenic technology specialists to develop a highly efficient and reliable hydrogen fuel distribution system, ensuring seamless and safe operation during fueling and in-flight.

The company's research into advanced combustion control systems has led to the development of a novel hydrogen-fueled engine design that can maintain stable and efficient operation across a wide range of throttle settings, critical for commercial airline operations.

Fokker Next Gen's collaboration with airBaltic has enabled the integration of real-world operational feedback into the aircraft's design, helping to optimize factors such as ground handling, maintenance, and passenger experience for a hydrogen-powered commercial airliner.

Latvian Airline airBaltic Partners with Fokker Next Gen for Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft Development - Envisioning the 2035 Launch of a Pioneering Aircraft


Latvian airline airBaltic has partnered with Fokker Next Gen to develop a revolutionary hydrogen-powered aircraft, with plans to launch the pioneering 120-150 seat narrow-body plane by 2035.

The collaboration aims to create a clean-sheet design optimized for liquid hydrogen combustion, leveraging airBaltic's operational expertise to shape the aircraft's development and target a range of up to 2,500 km.

Fokker Next Gen's design team has incorporated advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to optimize the aircraft's shape, resulting in a predicted 15% reduction in drag compared to similar-sized conventional narrowbody aircraft.

The liquid hydrogen storage system on the Fokker Next Gen aircraft utilizes state-of-the-art cryogenic technologies to maintain the fuel at extremely low temperatures, enabling a higher energy density per unit volume compared to traditional jet fuel.

Fokker Next Gen has partnered with leading specialists in cryogenic technology to develop a highly efficient and reliable hydrogen fuel distribution system, ensuring seamless and safe fueling operations for the aircraft.

The aircraft's hydrogen-fueled engines have been designed with advanced combustion control systems that can maintain stable and efficient operation across a wide range of throttle settings, a critical requirement for commercial airline operations.

Fokker Next Gen's collaboration with airBaltic has allowed the integration of real-world operational feedback into the aircraft's design, helping to optimize factors such as ground handling, maintenance, and passenger experience for a hydrogen-powered commercial airliner.

The planned 2,500 km range of the Fokker Next Gen and airBaltic hydrogen-powered aircraft represents a significant increase in the typical range of existing narrowbody aircraft, which could open up new route possibilities for airlines.

The partnership between the Latvian airline airBaltic and the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker Next Gen demonstrates the potential for cross-border collaboration in the development of innovative aviation technologies within the European Union.
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