AeroDelft back at the faculty of Aerospace Engineering

This summer, AeroDelft is moving their Phoenix prototype to the Materials & Structures Laboratory at the faculty of Aerospace Engineering to continue working on their mission: to prove that emission-free aviation is possible by developing the world's first manned aircraft powered by liquid hydrogen. 

AeroDelft was founded in 2017 by two Aerospace students. With project Phoenix the student team is working on the first liquid hydrogen powered aircraft.  Just like the Aerospace faculty, the student team aims for climate-neutral aviation and they are also convinced that this is possible. 

‘We are very pleased to welcome AeroDelft back to our faculty. We have always been closely involved with the students of AeroDelft, many of whom also study at our faculty. It feels like a logical step to further expand this cooperation. In this way, new students can also learn from AeroDelft's experience. We are looking forward to seeing the Phoenix in our aircraft hall’, says Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering Henri Werij. 

AeroDelft recently joined the Aerospace Innovation Hub@tudelft, also located in the faculty building, and now the Phoenix will move to the aircraft hall as well. AeroDelft can make use of the facilities in the Materials & Structures Laboratory for project Phoenix. There is enough space to work on the 6-metre wide hydrogen-powered drone, which will soon make its maiden flight. 

Jan-Willem van Zwieten, team manager of AeroDelft: 'The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering has always been a home base for AeroDelft. We were 'born' there, left home for a while and are now coming back to enter the next phase. For the Phoenix PT, the unmanned drone, this means the flight test phase and for the Phoenix FS, the manned two-seater aircraft, it means the assembly phase. Thanks to the facilities of the aircraft hall, we will be able to accelerate both projects on our way to cleaner air; a vision we both share!