General Atomics AeroTec Systems has completed the first flight of the Do228 NXT, marking the return of a long-running German aircraft program with an updated version of the original 1980s design.
The demonstrator aircraft flew on May 2 from Oberpfaffenhofen, the same site where the Do228 was originally produced. The flight is part of a broader effort to restart production of the twin-engine turboprop, nearly 45 years after the type first entered service.
The Do228 was initially developed by Dornier in the early 1980s as a short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility aircraft. Around 245 units were built in Germany, with additional production carried out in India under license. The program later changed hands multiple times before being acquired by General Atomics, which announced plans to relaunch the aircraft as the Do228 NXT.
Do228 NXT first flight | General Atomics Aerotec 
Do228 NXT first flight | General Atomics Aerotec 
Do228 NXT | General Atomics Aerotec
The new version builds on the existing airframe but incorporates updated avionics, systems and production methods. The aircraft is positioned as a multi-role platform, capable of missions ranging from regional transport to surveillance and special operations.
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Flight testing will continue in the coming weeks, focusing on performance evaluation across different flight conditions. The aircraft is expected to be formally presented later this year, with appearances planned at major airshows including ILA Berlin and Farnborough.
The program is part of a wider push to reestablish aircraft manufacturing activity in Germany. Another example is the Dornier Do328eco, a modernized and stretched version of the Dornier 328 being developed by Deutsche Aircraft, aimed at reintroducing a larger turboprop into the market.
