Hydrogen has been touted as one of the most promising ways to decarbonize aviation, particularly when it comes to relatively large, long range aircraft. But this type of fuel comes with its own challenges. Whether you intend to burn it or use it to power a fuel cell, its volumetric requirements make it hard to store and liquefying it means finding a way to keep it at ultra-low temperatures.

Australian startup Aviation H2 is proposing a different approach, though. What about using ammonia (NH3) as aviation fuel?

Ammonia has powered aircraft in the past, such as the record breaking North American X-15, an experimental aircraft (some would say it should be considered a rocket!) that in the 1960s set the current speed record for a crewed, powered aircraft. But…

Why did it fall out of favour? Could ammonia power the airliners of the future?

Helmut Mayer, founder and director of Aviation H2 joins us from Australia to share some insights about the work they are doing to retrofit existing engines and aircraft, starting by a Dassault Falcon 50, to run on ammonia.

In our conversation, Helmut doesn’t shy away from discussing some of the most pressing challenges ammonia presents to become, one day, a fuel of choice for the aviation industry, but he also outlines a number of interesting advantages and the very clear and determined path they plan to follow in order to test and develop this technology in the coming months.

So, tune in for an interesting conversation with Aviation H2’s founder and CEO Helmut Mayer exploring the possibilities of ammonia as an alternative aviation fuel!

(btw, apologies for the odd motorway sounds that are audible at some points during the conversation was partly recorded while on a car)