The roll-out took place at the company’s hangar and featured the aircraft in a special livery designed for the occasion. GA-ATS said it was the first time in many years that a new series of aircraft manufactured in Germany had been unveiled.
The company said the roll-out also sent a strong signal for German industry and the defense sector. The Do228 NXT is intended to serve the turboprop and special mission aviation markets and provide new mission capabilities for civilian, military and government customers.
The Dornier 228 has been used for decades in passenger and cargo transport, maritime surveillance, medical evacuation and disaster response missions. GA-ATS said the Do228 NXT carries that legacy forward with proven technology, state-of-the-art avionics, a modernized cabin and cockpit, additional mission equipment and a reliable, cost-optimized supply chain.
The aircraft’s livery includes blue triangles intended to symbolize the interaction of the aircraft’s individual features and characteristics. GA-ATS said the spreading triangle design also represents the aircraft’s aerodynamics.
The different shades of blue in the pattern were inspired by camouflage design. The company said this reflects the Do228 NXT’s potential for use in security and law enforcement missions.
The ceremony brought together about 500 attendees from aviation, politics, government, defense, customers, suppliers, service partners and the media. The GA-ATS team also attended, reflecting the work carried out over recent years to make the aircraft’s production possible.
Members of the Dornier family attended as guests of honor. In their speech, Claudio and Camillo Dornier said the Do228 NXT would proudly continue the region’s long tradition of aircraft manufacturing and that they saw strong future potential for the aircraft and the company.
“Today is a day that belongs to our team. Every single person at GA-ATS has contributed to make this moment possible – through exceptional craftsmanship, dedication and a shared passion for aviation and our aircraft. The Do228 NXT demonstrator is the result of hard work and continuous improvement. This Roll-Out is not just the debut of a new aircraft – it is proof of what this team is capable of achieving.” said Florian Rohe, Managing Director, General Atomics AeroTec Systems GmbH.
“The Do228 NXT is a true effort by the entire General Atomics Group. Beyond the outstanding work of the GA-ATS team, this achievement was supported by our headquarters of General Atomics Europe in Dresden and GA PrecisionTech Europe, which has been a vital supplier in the manufacturing process. All this was made possible by the support of our owners, the Blue family. It fills me with great pride to see aircraft being built in Germany again. I am convinced that the Do228 NXT will be a will be an extraordinary aircraft for our customers.” said Harald Robl, CEO, General Atomics Europe.
“When General Atomics acquired this company in 2021, we saw tremendous potential – in the aircraft, in the technology and above all in the team. We believed in the Do228 NXT from day one and everything we see today confirms that belief. The Do228 NXT is the result of that trust. We could not be more proud of what has been achieved here in Oberpfaffenhofen.” said Linden P. Blue, CEO, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
GA-ATS is the original equipment manufacturer of the Do228, which is used worldwide for special missions as well as passenger and cargo transport. The company develops and produces the Do228 NXT at Oberpfaffenhofen with about 400 employees and is also active in maintenance and repair of the Do228 and military helicopters.
GA-ATS also operates a Do228 flight simulator. The company is part of the General Atomics Europe group and an affiliate of General Atomics.
General Atomics Europe is an integrated technology group focused on aerospace, infrastructure and sustainability, with headquarters in Dresden. The group has stakes in nine subsidiaries with almost 1,000 employees.
