Deutsche Aircraft has selected further key suppliers for the D328eco program, including Bucher Leichtbau AG for the galley and partitions, Elbe Flugzeugwerke for floor panels and Reiser Simulation and Training, who will accelerate and proactively participate in the flight test campaign and certification.

EFW is headquartered in Dresden and therefore at proximity to Deutsche Aircraft's future Final Assembly Line (FAL), supporting local industrial capabilities to deliver on the D328eco programme.

Reiser, based near Munich, will develop and provide the D328eco Engineering Cockpit Simulator, a fully instrumented flight deck connected to a high-fidelity aircraft simulation. The Engineering Simulator is therefore a key asset in the aircraft development programme and will provide the ability to test key system functions and aircraft characteristics in a safe and virtual environment.

Commenting on its new contract, Beat Burlet, ceo of Bucher, says: “With our range of proven, innovative and sustainable products for the aircraft cabin, we believe that Bucher is a natural fit for Deutsche Aircraft. We are honored to sign this contract for a longstanding supplier partnership with Deutsche Aircraft and look forward to enhancing the passenger and crew experience with our range of interior products.”

Nico Neumann, COO of Deutsche Aircraft adds: “Since the beginning of discussions Bucher has shown a clear understanding of our requirements. Their decades-long know-how regarding cabin interior monuments and lightweight construction, whilst being open-minded regarding innovation and the high finishing quality on the product makes them the perfect partner for the galley and partitions for the D328eco. The D328eco will change the way we fly and help reduce our carbon footprint.”

Thanks to the bionic construction, weight saving of more than 30% has been achieved by using less material on Bucher's partitions. Furthermore all of Bucher's products are designed for a life span of over 20 years and require very few spare parts. Bucher galleys are made of over 65% aluminum. After a useful life span of over 20 years these aluminium components can be recycled through a remelting process that only consumes 5% of the initial energy used to produce the primary aluminium. 75% of the total aluminium ever produced worldwide is still in use. Recycling one ton of aluminum saves six tons of bauxite and nine tons of CO2 emissions.