Aircraft modification specialist AeroTEC is to lead conversion, flight test and certification of the De Havilland Canada Dash 8 regional turboprop to hydrogen fuel-cell propulsion under a joint effort with Universal Hydrogen.

Startup Universal Hydrogen (UH2), electric propulsion developer MagniX and fuel-cell supplier Plug Power have partnered with AeroTEC to establish the Hydrogen Aviation Test and Service Center at the company’s facility in Moses Lake, Washington.

Conversion work for U.S. airlines as well as continued airworthiness support will be based at AeroTEC’s Moses Lake facility. Retrofitted Dash 8-200/300s are planned to enter service in 2025 and UH2 has letters of intent (LoI) from Ravn Alaska and Icelandair. Spain’s Air Nostrum has signed an LoI to convert ATR 72s to hydrogen-electric propulsion. 

Seattle-headquartered AeroTEC previously worked with MagniX to convert a Cessna 208B Caravan to all-electric propulsion, flying the proof-of-concept aircraft from Moses Lake in May 2020. MagniX is based in Everett, Washington, while Plug Power has a significant operation in Spokane, Washington.