Deutsche Aircraft showcases its commitment to shaping the future of regional aviation at AERO Friedrichshafen with strong partnerships

Deutsche Aircraft will participate in AERO Friedrichshafen 2026 from 22–25 April, exhibiting together with the German Business Aviation Association at its pavilion. AERO Friedrichshafen brings together an international audience of manufacturers, operators, suppliers, and policymakers. Deutsche Aircraft’s presence underscores its commitment to Germany’s regional aviation ecosystem and its support for strengthened cooperation between AERO and the GBAA. As a GBAA member, Deutsche Aircraft will join industry partners to address the future of sustainable regional aviation. The German OEM will focus on targeted discussions with operators, suppliers, and regulatory stakeholders to advance key topics shaping the sector.

Showcasing partnership with Private Wings: D328eco launch customer

A key highlight for Deutsche Aircraft at this year’s AERO is its close partnership with Private Wings, which will be exhibiting alongside the OEM at the GBAA pavilion. Private Wings is the launch customer for the D328eco®, having signed a Letter of Intent for five aircraft. As one of the world’s largest Dornier 328 operators, its future D328eco fleet will provide a seamless transition from today’s operations to the next-generation platform.

Peter Gatz, CEO of Private Wings and Chairman of the GBAA Executive Board, emphasised the aircraft’s role in the company’s growth and sustainability strategy: “We see the D328eco as a great addition to our existing fleet as we grow our business and seek the most operationally efficient and sustainable solution to meet the needs of the market.”

Deutsche Aircraft at GBAA pavilion

Reinhard Schwaiger, Sales Director, will represent Deutsche Aircraft at the GBAA pavilion throughout the event, meeting with operators and industry partners to discuss fleet modernisation strategies and the commercial framework of the D328eco programme.

“As a proud GBAA member, Deutsche Aircraft is pleased to participate in AERO Friedrichshafen within the association’s pavilion,” says Schwaiger. “Europe’s leading general aviation event provides an excellent opportunity to engage with operators and stakeholders. We look forward to strategic discussions on operator requirements, fleet modernisation pathways, and the broader commercial development of the D328eco programme. With its strong suitability for VIP and business charter operations—and growing demand for more sustainable solutions in this segment—the D328eco is capturing increasing interest across the market.”

Advancing D328eco programme

While the aircraft will not be displayed at AERO Friedrichshafen, programme development continues to progress. In May 2025, Deutsche Aircraft rolled out TAC 1, the first D328eco test aircraft—a major milestone towards certification and industrialisation. The aircraft will feature the Garmin G5000® PRIME integrated flight deck, bringing a modern, touchscreen-driven avionics suite to the regional turboprop category. This architecture enhances automation, situational awareness, and operational efficiency. Designed to operate on 100% power‑to‑liquid (PtL) sustainable aviation fuel, the D328eco is engineered to significantly reduce lifecycle CO₂ emissions and support the transition to cleaner regional mobility solutions.