New Generation of Dornier Seastar Completes First Flight

The prototype SN1003, a New Generation of the Dornier Seastar amphibious aircraft successfully performed its first flight at Oberpfaffenhofen (EDMO) airport, Germany. The flight was performed by Dornier Seawings test pilot crew and took 31 minutes.

The Seastar SN1003 attained required approvals from EASA and LBA on March 19, 2020.

The New Generation Seastar is equipped with a digital glass cockpit, new propellers, several systems including air-conditioning and stern thruster, plus a corrosion-resistant composite structure that results in reduced maintenance keeping costs significantly down particularly in sea water operations.

The objective of the Seastar is to enhance short to medium haul trips with lower cost and flight time but higher safety and capacity. The New Generation Seastar has a maximum takeoff weight of 5100 kilograms, a maximum cruise speed of 180 KTAS (333 km/hr) and 900nm (1667 km) as a maximum range.

Possible customizable interiors include cargo, VIP, passenger and special mission configurations.