German Aircraft Laboratory to Research Hydrogen Aviation

Lufthansa Technik have partnered with Hamburg Airport to investigate sustainable aviation through an onboard hydrogen laboratory.

The company, an aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul service provider for commercial aircraft converting to VIP and special mission aircraft, will test different processes to explore hydrogen technology over the next two years.

Testing will be conducted on board a stationary Airbus A320 based in Hamburg. Known as the Hydrogen Aviation Lab, the aircraft will be fully equipped to test the effects of liquid hydrogen on maintenance and ground processes.

Featuring a full suite of testing systems, a liquid hydrogen tanks, and a fuel cell paired with supporting ground-based hydrogen infrastructure, the laboratory will support the company’s partners maintain aircraft that use hydrogen fuel, as well as promoting the development of future hydrogen-fuelled aircraft.

Solutions to the length of time taken to refuel with liquid hydrogen based on current technology will also be explored through research conducted at the laboratory.

Lufthansa Technik said: “While this Airbus A320 will no longer be taking to the skies, it is capable of being towed to locations at the Lufthansa Technik base and Hamburg Airport to enable real-world research of ground-based processes.”

Hamburg Airport are known for their sustainability efforts, having powered their ground vehicles with renewable diesel since 2016.