General Atomics AeroTec Systems GmbH (GA-ATS) formally rolled out the Do228 NXT twin-turboprop at its Oberpfaffenhofen facility to approximately 500 industry, government and defence stakeholders in crowded ceremony attended by Aviation Business News.

The type’s certification-free entry-into-service pathway, combined with the manufacturer’s stated resolution of supply chain constraints, removes two of the principal cost and scheduling risks that regional operators must evaluate when assessing fleet additions or replacements in the sub-20-seat turboprop segment.

In an exclusive interview, chief test pilot Martina Hierle told Aviation Business News that the aircraft had an exceptional test flight on May 2nd. “Normally you have some issues that need adjustment but not in this case. The aircraft performed without any problems,” she said.

Hierle said that the Do228 NXT is ideal for operations in challenging conditions, such as short, unpaved runways and extreme climates.

“All the systems are safe and stable and it’s possible for operators to handle this aircraft in difficult environments,” she said.

The aircraft’s STOL certified landing distance at sea level is 362 metres, with takeoff distance of 445m. The combination of STOL capability and unpaved runway compatibility positions the type as a low-infrastructure-cost option for thin regional routes in emerging markets.

With up to 19 passengers in transport configuration, it can carry approximately two tonnes of payload in freighter configuration, and achieves a cruise speed of 444 km/h with a range of up to 3,025 km.

Following the Oberpfaffenhofen roll-out, GA-ATS has confirmed appearances at ILA Berlin in June and the Farnborough Airshow in July (Flugrevue) , accelerating its commercial market development timeline in both the European regional sector and wider export markets.

Hierle said that it was exciting to be able to “finally bring the aircraft out to the world”

“It’s great because last year for example at Le Bourget [the location of the Paris Air Show 2025] we only said, ‘next year we will show up with an aircraft’ and sometimes people don’t believe it. Tomorrow we will depart with this aircraft and that’s great for me and the entire team.”

GA-ATS managing director Florian Rohe told the audience that the Do228 NXT requires no new type certification, with all modifications classified as minor changes, removing a significant regulatory cost barrier that has historically slowed turboprop fleet renewals.

Rohe also said that supply chain disruption has been substantially resolved. “All the major hurdles in terms of ramping up the supply chain again have been addressed,” he said.

GA-ATS has responded to historic parts availability gaps by bringing wing manufacturing in-house, a structural change that reduces exposure to third-party component lead times.

The first Do228 NXT demonstrator will be retained by the company, with the initial customer aircraft, an undisclosed European operator,  scheduled for handover in summer 2026. A second airframe is simultaneously in production.

The aircraft is powered by two Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop engines, each delivering 579 kW (776 shaft horsepower). Their single-shaft architecture, where compressor, turbine and propeller share one rotating shaft, enables near-instantaneous thrust response, a characteristic of direct operational value for short-field performance and the constrained runway environments typical of remote regional routes.

The Do228 NXT’s cockpit has been substantially updated, featuring four Universal avionics displays and a digital autopilot. GA-ATS has also implemented what it describes as a cost-optimised supply chain architecture, a stated design objective intended to reduce long-term MRO exposure for operators managing high-cycle, low-frequency regional networks where parts availability is a direct driver of aircraft-on-ground risk

The Do228 NXT programme is supported across the General Atomics Group, with GA PrecisionTech Europe acting as a key manufacturing supplier alongside the GA-ATS production team in Oberpfaffenhofen.