Deutsche Aircraft has announced its reaching a milestone in its landing gear certification programme, after the successful completion of Low-Speed Taxi (LST) and High-Speed Taxi (HST) testing, followed by preliminary flight testing.
A legacy D328 aircraft aircraft used as a flying testbed has successfully completed its first five flights providing the required information to proceed with the development.
Since flight testing began on the 5th 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.
Nico Neumann, CEO, Deutsche Aircraft said, “The successful completion of the ground and taxi test campaign, together with the first flights of our landing gear testbed, is an important achievement. 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.”
Beyond advancing the next generation of D328eco certification, this milestone demonstrates Deutsche Aircraft’s commitment to strengthening long-term product support and operational readiness for regional aircraft operators worldwide. Data gathered throughout the campaign will support certification activities and the continued maturation of the D328eco programme.
Landing 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 will place the landing gear architecture under the company’s direct engineering authority, enabling greater flexibility, responsiveness and long-term product stewardship.
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.
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Author: Jaime Gair
