Deutsche Aircraft Achieves First Flight Milestone in Landing Gear Certification Programme, Advancing D328eco® Development

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Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by GlobeNewswire Deutsche Aircraft Achieves First Flight Milestone in Landing Gear Certification Programme, Advancing D328eco® DevelopmentAuthor of the article:Landing Gear Test Campaign - Runway takeoff GNWMunich, Germany, Sept. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Deutsche Aircraft has reached a major milestone in its landing gear certification programme with the successful completion of Low-Speed Taxi (LST) and High-Speed Taxi (HST) testing, followed by the initial phase of flight testing.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountA legacy D328® aircraft operating as a dedicated flying testbed has successfully completed its first five development flights, achieving all planned test objectives. Since flight testing began on 5 August 2026, the aircraft has accumulated over 15 hours of test time with the new landing gear system, including both flight and ground testing activities. This accomplishment represents a significant step forward in the maturation and certification preparation of the next-generation D328eco®.“The successful completion of the ground and taxi test campaign, together with the first flights of our landing gear testbed, is an important achievement,” said Nico Neumann, CEO of Deutsche Aircraft.” The results provide strong validation of the landing gear system and enable us to move into the next phase of flight testing as we continue the certification process. Bringing this critical system under our direct control allows us to deliver greater reliability, resilience and long-term support for our operators.”Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againBeyond advancing D328eco certification, this milestone demonstrates Deutsche Aircraft’s commitment to strengthening long-term product support and operational readiness for regional aircraft operators worldwide.Fortifying Regional Aviation Through Direct OEM ControlLanding gear systems have historically represented a challenge across regional aviation programmes. Dependence on third-party suppliers and limited access to intellectual property can lead to spare parts shortages, complex lifecycle management and operational uncertainty.To address these industry-wide challenges, Deutsche Aircraft has transitioned to a new landing gear supplier and secured full intellectual property rights for the system. This strategic move places the landing gear architecture under the company’s direct engineering authority, enabling greater flexibility, responsiveness and long-term product stewardship.With direct governance of the landing gear system, Deutsche Aircraft has strengthened its ability to:Drive future system evolution and upgrades.Secure long-term component availability.Improve supply chain resilience.Harmonise the landing gear architecture across both the D328 and D328eco platforms.Immediate Benefits for D328 Operators WorldwideBeyond advancing the D328eco programme towards entry into service, the landing gear initiative delivers immediate benefits to existing D328 operators worldwide, including:Common Architecture: Standardised landing gear architecture across both aircraft generations.Enhanced Lifecycle Support: Improved maintainability and long-term product support.Improved Parts Availability: Greater spare parts availability and more predictable lead times.This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.By directly addressing historical landing gear supply constraints, Deutsche Aircraft is reinforcing operational resilience for current and future operators.Certification Testing: The Next PhaseFollowing the successful completion of taxi testing and the initial phase of flight testing, Deutsche Aircraft will continue its landing gear certification campaign using the dedicated D328 flying testbed. The ongoing programme will validate system performance across structural, ground-handling and flight-test environments.Upcoming certification activities will include:Braking and stopping-distance validationSteering and ground-handling evaluationsCrosswind testingUnpaved runway testingCertification AssessmentsHigh-load and structural testingStress, durability and reliability evaluationsData gathered throughout the campaign will support certification activities and the continued maturation of the D328eco programme.Accelerating Programme ReadinessThe validation of the landing gear system represents an important milestone as Deutsche Aircraft continues its progress in the development and certification of the D328eco.“Using a legacy D328 as a dedicated flying testbed has enabled us to efficiently validate the landing gear system across the full operational envelope, from structural ground testing to taxi operations and flight testing,” said Aaron Tsang, Head of Design Organisation and VP Engineering. “The results provide valuable data while demonstrating the effectiveness of our development and certification approach for the D328eco programme.”This milestone further reinforces Deutsche Aircraft’s commitment to delivering a modern, efficient and highly supportable regional aircraft while ensuring long-term operational confidence for airlines and special mission operators worldwide.Melek Merve Mutlu Deutsche Aircraft Gmbh melek.mervemutlu@deutscheaircraft.com Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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