Overview
- Deutsche Aircraft officially opened the Final Assembly Line at Leipzig/Halle on Tuesday and says it invested more than €100 million in the site with about €3.2 million in regional support.
- The Leipzig facility is sized for up to 48 D328eco turboprops a year and is expected to create roughly 250 direct jobs as production ramps up.
- Development, flight testing and certification will stay at the company’s Oberpfaffenhofen site while Leipzig will handle industrialisation, end assembly and deliveries.
- Public reports differ on the first locally assembled airframe’s timing: the company expects a test aircraft by Q1 2027 while other outlets cite completion by the end of 2027.
- The D328eco is a 40-seat turboprop designed for lower short-haul fuel use and SAF compatibility, and Deutsche Aircraft has begun talks with the German defence and interior ministries about possible non‑commercial roles.