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S. McCarthy

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Low-Emission Aircraft Family

The LEAF project designs a family of low-emission regional aircraft powered by hydrogen combustion turboprop engines. Two variants were developed: LEAF-A for 84 passengers over 1,500 km and LEAF-B for 58 passengers over 1,300 km, with 75.6% component commonality to reduce costs and simplify maintenance.

The aircraft uses a strut-braced wing, lightweight recyclable materials, and a liquid hydrogen tank in the tail for improved efficiency and lower emissions. Compared to conventional aircraft, the design significantly reduces carbon emissions and lowers NOx emissions by 60–90%, depending on flight phase.

Economically, the design is competitive, with direct operating costs below or close to benchmark regional aircraft and a projected 5% return on investment. The main challenges remain hydrogen infrastructure, market adoption, and managing technical risks such as hydrogen safety. ...