Zero-emission long-range vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft designer and manufacturer AMSL Aero has partnered with Aeria Management Group to introduce hydrogen as an aviation fuel at Bankstown Airport in Sydney. Bankstown will be the Southern Hemisphere’s first airport to host hydrogen fuel.
AMSL Aero will use the sustainable fuel to extend the range of its Vertiia aircraft to 1000 kilometres using fuel cells, making Vertiia the longest-range passenger-capable VTOL aircraft in the world.
“We are proud to be at the forefront of this transformative initiative with Aeria,” said AMSL Aero CEO Max York. “With AMSL Aero and Bankstown Airport leading the charge in adopting hydrogen as aviation fuel, Australia is poised to play a key role in the global transition towards sustainable aviation. This partnership is also a vital step towards our goals to improve the lives of Australians in the bush by enabling long-distance, efficient aeromedical, passenger, cargo and firefighting flights. Hydrogen holds immense potential as a clean and efficient fuel for aviation, offering zero-emission, longer distance flights that can significantly reduce the cost and carbon footprint of air travel.”
AMSL Aero is using cylinders containing hydrogen on-site at its facility at Bankstown Airport, the third busiest airport in Australia, to test the powertrain for Vertiia on the ground before integrating the fuel into the aircraft. AMSL Aero, which flew Vertiia for the first time in 2023, will test-fly Vertiia using hydrogen fuel in 2025, ahead of its planned certification and first commercial flights in 2027.
“Australia has the potential to lead the evolution towards Advanced Air Mobility aircraft, which will bring sustainability to the skies and to the ways we travel, live and work, from faster freight deliveries and city commutes to greater connectivity for people in regional and rural areas,” said AMG CEO Daniel Jarosch. “The landmark development of hydrogen-fuelled aircraft by AMSL Aero at Bankstown Airport puts us in the cockpit for shaping a more sustainable and innovative aviation ecosystem for future generations.”
The Commonwealth Government’s Aviation Green Paper, released in 2023, found that Australia is positioning itself as a leader in the global uptake and development of emerging aviation technologies, such as hydrogen and electric-powered aircraft. The paper reported that such technologies could see aircraft movements in Australia increase from three million annually to nine million a year.
