Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline, has made further progress in delivering hydrogen-fuelled flights.

It is exploring how hydrogen infrastructure could be rolled out across Scotland as part of a new partnership.

Loganair has identified various short-haul routes from Orkney for hydrogen-fuelled services, with the second phase of the Civil Aviation Authority’s “Hydrogen Challenge” programme testing the necessary infrastructure required to operate these services long term.

It is working in partnership with Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership, Highlands and Islands Airports , AGS, European and Marine Energy Centre and Orkney Islands Council to use Kirkwall Airport as a test to explore how hydrogen fuel infrastructure would be rolled out across aircraft and airports in Scotland.

Loganair is already working on a number of sustainable flight initiatives, including a partnership with Heart Aerospace on a hybrid-electric propelled aircraft.

Rebecca Borresen, director of safety and sustainability at Loganair said: “Loganair is a true industry leader in this space, and we are very proud of the strides we have taken forward in making sustainable regional aviation a reality.

“We are at the cutting edge of innovation and are working hard with key industry partners across a range of sustainability projects. This project aims to meet the ambition of delivering the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial flight before 2030.

“The second phase of the ‘Hydrogen Challenge’ will allow us to further test operations and work with our partners to create the necessary building blocks to allow the use of commercially viable hydrogen aircrafts.”

Tim Johnson, director of communications, strategy and policy at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “These trials keep the UK on course to be a world leader in hydrogen propulsion.

“We are working with some of the most innovative companies and minds to better understand this technology and how it might be introduced safely in the aerospace sector. In doing so, it offers the potential to enable a more sustainable aerospace system and support UK economic growth.”