Germany is returning to producing its own passenger aircraft

Germany returns to passenger aircraft production

The opening ceremony of the new production complex took place on September 29, 2026. Turboprop D328eco aircraft designed for regional routes will be assembled here.

The facility's area is 60,500 square meters. This is equivalent to approximately eight football fields.

The German aviation industry produces fuselage parts, wings, cabin elements, and engines on a large scale. However, combining the stages from passenger aircraft design to certification, final assembly, and technical support during operation into a single national program has not been done for a long time.

Niko Neumann, CEO of Deutsche Aircraft, called the new project a return to roots. According to him, for the first time in more than 60 years, the entire life cycle of an aircraft will be covered within a single German program.

The D328eco is not an aircraft built entirely from scratch. It is an improved version of the previous Dornier 328 model. The original Dornier 328 made its maiden flight in December 1991. Its production stopped after the Fairchild Dornier company went bankrupt in 2002.

In the new version, the fuselage has been lengthened by about two meters, reaching 23.3 meters. The passenger capacity has been increased to 40 people — which is nearly 20 percent more compared to the original model.

Instead of the previous engines, PW127XT-S turboprop engines, each with 2,750 horsepower, have been installed. The cockpit and the onboard electronic control and navigation equipment have also been completely updated.

The first prototype of the D328eco, intended for flight testing, was rolled out of the assembly shop in Oberpfaffenhofen in May 2025.

At that time, the company planned to obtain the aircraft's type certificate and begin commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2027.