Aircraft
Mitsubishi and Alaska Air Back Plans For Hydrogen Airliners
Mitsubishi's MHIRJ business unit could install ZeroAvia's hydrogen conversion kits on CRJs, while Alaska Air will re-engine its Dash 8 Q400 fleet.
A Bombardier CRJ200 takes off from Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport in May 2019. Mitsubishi and ZeroAvia want to replace the model's GE CF34 engines with a liquid-hydrogen-powered powertrain. (Photo: Flickr: Creative Commons (BY) by Colin Brown Photography)
A Bombardier CRJ200 takes off from Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport in May 2019. Mitsubishi and ZeroAvia want to replace the model's GE CF34 engines with a liquid-hydrogen-powered powertrain. (Photo: Flickr: Creative Commons (BY) by Colin Brown Photography)

Mitsubishi is teaming with ZeroAvia to convert regional airliners, such as the CRJ, to hydrogen propulsion. The Japanese group’s maintenance, repair, and overhaul subsidiary, MHI RJ Aviation Group (MHIRJ), said it will seek a supplemental type certificate (STC) to replace the GE Aviation CF-34 turbofans on the 50- to 100-seat twinjets with the hydrogen-electric powertrain that ZeroAvia is developing for multiple applications.

One day after ZeroAvia announced the partnership, Alaska Air Group said it will support efforts to convert up to 50 of its 76-seat De Havilland Dash 8-400 twin-turboprops to hydrogen. The U.S. airline is also investing in the California-based start-up.

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