German start-up Deutsche Aircraft, which is aiming to restart production of the Dornier 328 regional turboprop, has signed a MoU with H2FLY to convert a 328 into a hydrogen fuel cell-powered demonstrator. The aircraft, planned to take flight in 2025, will be the world's largest hydrogen-powered-demonstrator and is intended to demonstrate the feasibility of zero-carbon regional flight for a 40-seat aircraft. Aircraft lessors Aero Capital Solutions (ACS) has ordered an additional seven Boeing 737-800 freighter conversions from Aeronautical Engineers. These are in addition to 14 aircraft that Aero Capital has already committed for conversion. The RAF is to explore the feasibility of an electric-powered primary trainer for air experience flights, university air squadrons and flying grading. Under the DASA Defence and Security Accelerator it has issued requirements to industry which include 90minutes endurance and 20minutes turnaround time. Entry into service would be for 2027. An additional 36 OneWeb internet satellites were launched into orbit on 1 July aboard a Soyuz-2.1 b rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia. OneWeb now has 254 of a planned total of 648 satellites in orbit.
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