Airbus-led project aims to demonstrate hydrogen aircraft ground ops

Aircraft maker Airbus Group (EPA:AIR) today announced the launch of a project that aims to demonstrate small-scale liquid hydrogen aircraft ground operations at three European airports.

Led by Airbus, the initiative brings together academic partners, airport operators and hydrogen-industry companies under the name GOLIAT (Ground Operations of LIquid hydrogen AircrafT). It is supported by EUR 10.8 million (USD 11.7m) in funding from the EU’s Horizon Europe Framework Programme over four years.

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The project's main objective is to demonstrate the safe and reliable development and use of high-flow liquid hydrogen handling and refueling technologies for airport operations.

“We continue to believe that hydrogen will be an important fuel for the future of short-haul aviation. We welcome the opportunity to help build the operating case for the widespread daily use of liquid hydrogen at airports,” said Karine Guenan, vice president of ZEROe Ecosystem at Airbus.

The project consortium includes Airbus (France, Germany, UK), Chart Industries (Czech Republic, Italy), TU Delft (Netherlands), Leibniz University Hannover (Germany), Royal Schiphol Group (Netherlands), Rotterdam The Hague Airport (Netherlands), Vinci Airports (France, Portugal), Stuttgart Airport (Germany), H2FLY (Germany) and Budapest Airport (Hungary).

(EUR 1 = USD 1.087)