Flight Global - Dominic Perry
Dutch researchers have concluded that the operation of small sub-regional electric aircraft on short routes in the Netherlands should be possible by 2026.
Airports consultancy NACO – part of Royal HaskoningDHV – and the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) were commissioned by the Dutch infrastructure ministry to draw up a roadmap for the introduction of electric flight in the Netherlands and its overseas territories.
Their calculations suggest that operations using a three-strong fleet of nine-seat electric aircraft would be feasible on the islands from 2026. Three 19-seaters would be added from 2030, followed by three more of each type by 2035.
Initially, each island’s airport would have a single charging station, but by 2035 that would rise to four per airport, the study’s scenario suggests, at a total cost per facility of €4.7 million ($5.2 million).
