In development for four years, the D328eco regional turboprop is expected to have its first test aircraft (TAC 1) roll out in the second quarter of 2025, said Deutsche Aircraft CEO Dave Jackson.
The prototype will then be prepared to perform its maiden flight at the end of next year.
The TAC 1 aircraft has been in the assembly phase in Germany since the beginning of the year.
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Jackson also anticipated the inauguration of the Final Assembly Line at the Leipzig/Halle Airport and the showcase of a full cabin and cockpit at the Paris Airshow in June.
Despite the progress, the D328eco is only expected to enter service from 2028, according to recent statements by the company.
Dornier 328
The 40-seat turboprop is a development of the Dornier 328, a regional aircraft launched in the 1990s that had a jet variant.
In 2019, the company 328 Support Services, which owns the rights to the aircraft, announced plans to reopen an assembly line for an updated and larger version of the turboprop.
The following year, Deutsche Aircraft was created to carry out the project from Leizpig/Halle Airport.
The aircraft incorporates advances such as state-of-the-art Garmin G5000 avionics, PW127XT-Sengines from Pratt & Whitney and the possibility of operating with 100% SAF.
The D328eco’s niche market is currently where only the ATR 42, an aircraft produced by the joint venture between Airbus and Leonardo, operates.
