Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany: 28th March 2020
The prototype SN1003, a New Generation of the Dornier Seastar amphibious aircraft, successfully conducted its first flight today at Oberpfaffenhofen EDMO airport, Germany. The flight was performed by Dornier Seawings test pilot crew and took 31 minutes.
The Seastar SN1003 attained the required approvals from EASA and LBA on 19 March 2020; this was a major milestone for the program.
The New Generation Seastar is significantly improved from the original Seastar which was designed and developed by Claudius Dornier Jr. in the 80’s. The New Generation is equipped with a state-of-the-art full digital glass cockpit, new highly efficient propellers, additional systems as air-conditioning and stern thruster, plus a corrosion-resistant composite structure that results in significantly reduced maintenance costs, specially during sea water operations.
“The First flight was completed successfully and confirmed the nice handling qualities of the Seastar. All systems functioned correctly. The advanced avionics system reflects the state-of-the-art cockpit design” , said Wolfram Cornelius, Chief Test Pilot, after the flight.
About Dornier Seawings
Dornier Seawings, based in Germany and China, is the culmination of three generations of Dornier aviation heritage that designs, develops and manufactures foremost seaplanes. Dornier Seawings is a multicultural and multi-national Joint Venture between the Dornier family and two state-owned Chinese enterprises: Wuxi Industry Development Group Co., Ltd and Wuxi Communications Industry Group Co., Ltd. Today, the company’s mission is to design, produce, sell and support the Dornier Seastar CD2, the world’s most advanced amphibious aircraft.