Deutsche Aircraft has postponed the expected entry into service of the D328eco, a 40-seat regional turboprop, to the 4th quarter of 2027.
Among the reasons for reviewing the schedule are regulatory changes involving the certification process, explained the German company.
“While we have had to realign the EIS for our D328eco, we are taking this opportunity to investigate further product enhancements and satisfied by the tremendous progress of the program to date,” said Dave Jackson, CEO of Deutsche Aircraft.
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The decision to postpone the launch in service came after an internal review, discussions with customers and potential operators and also with the supply chain.
Deutsche said it will take advantage of the longer development time frame to add improvements that could include STOL (Short Take-off and Landing) performance.
Also according to Jackson, work has progressed with discussions with EASA, the European civil aviation regulator, the start of construction of the final assembly line in Leipzig and the definition of 95% of the aircraft’s suppliers.
The company promises to announce more milestones during the Farnborough Airshow in late July.
Upgraded Dornier 328 turboprop
The D328eco is an update of the Dornier 328 turboprop that hit the market in the late 1980s.
Deutsche Aircraft was created to redesign the aircraft, which will have greater capacity, use Pratt & Whitney PW127XT-S engines compatible with SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and state-of-the-art Garmin G5000 avionics.
The program, however, is accumulating delays as the original deadline for entry into service was 2025, which was later changed to the end of 2026.
