Deutsche Aircraft has tentative agreements in place for 34 D328eco turboprops, the German aerospace firm has disclosed in its recently-published full-year financial statement.
The company, which commenced assembly of the first test aircraft earlier this year, says that – after a slight delay – it expects to complete a critical design review in the second half.
It plans to put an assembly line, managed by its sister company in Leipzig, into operation at the end of 2026, which will build one of the test aircraft, TAC3.
Deutsche Aircraft says the development programme was running about 13% behind the company’s target in 2023.
It has been trying to increase personnel numbers and concluded 226 new employment contracts last year, although this was around 90 fewer than planned.
In April the company pushed back entry-into-service by a year, to the fourth quarter of 2027.
“Despite challenges in the certification process, the programme is making progress,” it states, with construction of the Leipzig assembly line underway.
Deutsche Aircraft’s core business relates to maintenance, spares, conversion and customer service for the Dornier 328 fleet.
It says it expects this demand will “remain constant”, although it acknowledges that the core business is loss-making and “deliberately being continued” in order to form the foundation of future maintenance and service activity for the D328eco.
The company recorded revenues of €30.6 million ($33.4 million) last year, and an overall loss of €15.1 million – partly owing to an unscheduled €6.4 million write-down of inventory.
Deutsche Aircraft has been part of Sierra Holding Company since last year, having been transferred from former parent Sierra Nevada Corporation.
These owners have reinforced the company’s equity through capital injections, and the D328eco programme is being supported by a €125 million federal loan through KfW.
Deutsche Aircraft says it has three letters of intent, with various customers, covering 34 aircraft. It reached agreements for 25 of them this year, and adds that it is “working intensively on sales and marketing strategies to attract future buyers”.
It claims the D328eco will offer operators of 30- to 80-seat aircraft a “new alternative” to meet fluctuating market demand.
“It would be the first large regional aircraft in a long time to be manufactured entirely in Germany and offers many opportunities to serve as a system integrator for new, modern forms of propulsion,” it adds.
“Such new production would offer immense growth potential for the company…as a result of which several hundred new jobs could be created in the long term.”
