The aircraft manufacturer Deutsche Aircraft has officially started construction of a new plant at Leipzig/Halle Airport. A comprehensive infrastructure for the production of the new D328 Eco regional aircraft is to be built at the site, as the company announced. Plans include a final assembly line, a flight readiness hangar, a logistics center and an administration building.
Up to 350 new jobs
More than 100 million euros will reportedly be invested in the construction of the final assembly line. The site, which is around eight soccer pitches in size, was prepared and handed over at the end of September. The first delivery of the new regional aircraft is planned for 2027. In the long term, Deutsche Aircraft is aiming to produce up to 48 aircraft per year. Recruitment and training of the workforce is already underway. The new final assembly line is expected to create up to 350 jobs in the region.
"We are looking forward to Leipzig with great anticipation and pride, where our final assembly line for the D328 Eco program will be ready for take-off in just one year," said Nico Neumann, Head of Operations at Deutsche Aircraft. According to the manufacturer, the D328 Eco is a more sustainable further development of the Dornier 328 built in the early 1990s.
Leipzig/Halle Airport as the engine of the future
The CEO of Mitteldeutsche Flughafen AG, Götz Ahmelmann, described the project as "groundbreaking for Leipzig/Halle Airport as a production and business location, as a job engine and for the future of environmentally friendly flying".
The new regional aircraft offers space for 40 passengers and can be used for both passenger and freight transport. According to Deutsche Aircraft, it is the "world's most efficient and environmentally friendly regional aircraft in its class". It consumes around 15 percent less fuel than comparable models and reduces CO2 emissions by almost 25 percent. Furthermore, the aircraft can be operated entirely with synthetic fuels. The final assembly line is also to be operated CO2-neutrally.
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