The company’s carbon neutral goal by 2050 is dependent on the Mission NextGen Aircraft program
Air New Zealand recently disclosed their agreements in place for the new Mission NextGen Aircraft project with four different manufacturers. The four partners are Eviation, BETA Technologies, Volt Aero, and Cranfield Aerospace.
Together, they’ll collaborate with Air New Zealand over the ensuing years to concentrate on creating the necessary technology and infrastructure, which will require Air New Zealand to initially purchase three aircrafts with additional options for 20 for the future.
Greg Foran, CEO of Air New Zealand, stated: “Mission NextGen Aircraft is about working with a range of leaders in zero emissions aircraft technology and our goal is to confirm our commitment with one or more of these partners in the next 12 months, with the ambition of purchasing an aircraft for delivery from 2026. This will then pave the way for our long-term partners to deliver an aircraft that can replace our Q300 turbo prop domestic fleet. Getting a zero emissions aircraft off the ground by 2026 is going to be challenging, but we are ambitious because we need to be.”
According to CNET Roadshow, every manufacturer is already working diligently on aircrafts that use electricity, green hydrogen, or hybrid energy to fly. Alice, an all-electric commuter jet that’s previously been “flight proven” has already been announced by Eviation. BETA is currently developing an eVTOL named the ALIA-250 for passengers or cargo. The Cassio, a plane being developed by Volt Aero, will have a dual-source electric-hybrid powertrain. Last but not least, Cranfield Aerospace is seeking to incorporate hydrogen fuel cell technology into its nine-seater Britten-Norman Islander.
“Mission NextGen Aircraft is not about backing one innovator,” Foran continued. “It’s about working with a range of leaders in zero emissions aircraft technology to help move the whole ecosystem along. Our goal is to confirm our commitment with one or more of these partners in the next 12 months with the ambition of purchasing an aircraft for delivery from 2026.”
