Title: Feasibility and performance evaluation of hybrid-electric retrofits for CS-23 commuter aircraft towards carbon-neutral regional aviation

Authors: God'sable Sitsofe Koku Aidam; Eunice Akyereko Adjei; Richard Opoku; Francis Davis; David Kofi Oppong

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, University Post Office, Kumasi, Ghana ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, University Post Office, Kumasi, Ghana ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, University Post Office, Kumasi, Ghana ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, University Post Office, Kumasi, Ghana ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, University Post Office, Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract: Hybrid-electric propulsion presents a promising transitional pathway towards lower-emission regional aviation. This study evaluates the feasibility of retrofitting three CS-23 commuter aircraft, the Dornier 228NG, DHC-6-400, and L410NG, with hydrogen fuel-cell and lithium-iron-phosphate battery systems, using a unified mission profile and parametric modelling. The Dornier 228NG demonstrated the lowest mission energy requirement, while the L410NG offered the most advantageous internal volume for system integration. Increasing hybridisation (x_FC) reduced payload from 28%-32% at = 0 to 8%-12% at x_FC = 100%, mainly due to the mass and volume of fuel-cell and hydrogen-storage systems. Sensitivity analysis identified auxiliary power load, fuel-cell efficiency, and battery volumetric energy density as the key factors affecting payload feasibility, with ±10% variations shifting payload by up to 4.2 percentage points. Overall, mid-range hybridisation levels provided the best compromise between emissions reduction, component sizing constraints, and operational practicality, positioning hybrid-electric retrofits as a feasible near-term step towards sustainable regional aviation.

Keywords: hybrid-electric propulsion; HEP; aircraft retrofitting; regional aviation; hydrogen fuel cell; battery integration; decarbonisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSA.2026.156043

International Journal of Sustainable Aviation, 2026 Vol.12 No.3, pp.257 - 291

Received: 22 Dec 2025
Accepted: 01 May 2026
Published online: 01 Sep 2026 *

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