The first quarter of 2026 has flown by, and Deutsche Aircraft continues to strengthen its development, certification activities and industrial ramp up capabilities. Here is a snapshot of the Q1 milestones driving this important phase of the D328eco® programme.

COMTRONIC selected for the D328eco Advanced Overhead Panel

Deutsche Aircraft has selected COMTRONIC GmbH to supply the complete Overhead Panel for the D328eco cockpit — an essential component of our next generation flight deck. With nearly five decades of expertise in illuminated panels and precision control units, COMTRONIC’s system will support an intuitive, pilot centric design and deliver maximum reliability and readability. This partnership reflects our commitment to simplicity, robustness and operational efficiency, as we mature the D328eco flight deck.

Anastasija Visnakova appointed Chief Commercial Officer

Anastasija Visnakova was appointed Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Deutsche Aircraft in the first quarter of 2026. Having served as Vice President Sales & Marketing for more than three years, Anastasija has played a key role in expanding our market presence and strengthening customer relationships. In her new role, she leads all global commercial functions and drives our commercial readiness for D328eco industrialisation and entry into service.

Alongside her new role as CCO, Anastasija has also been appointed to the European Regions Airlines (ERA) Board. In March, she attended the ERA Conference in Belgrade, an event that brought together senior executives from more than 220 aviation organisations to discuss regional connectivity, market evolution and the operational challenges facing Europe’s regional carriers.

Nils Heuer appointed Director of Global Sales

Nils Heuer was appointed Director of Global Sales at Deutsche Aircraft during Q1. Nils will lead global sales efforts across regional civil aviation and multi-role/special mission markets. His extensive experience — both as Director Sales for the D328eco and senior roles at Lufthansa Technik — gives him strong technical understanding and customer insight at a pivotal moment for the programme.

Celebrating Women in Aviation: International Women’s Day 2026

From 2-8 March, we proudly celebrated the women of Deutsche Aircraft who are shaping the future of aviation. During Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, we honoured the legacy of Raymonde de Laroche and the women who continue to push our industry forward. Despite ongoing gender gaps across the industry, our colleagues demonstrated how expertise, innovation and cognitive diversity are driving real progress — from advancing simulation technology and engineering sustainable materials for the D328eco to ensuring airworthiness and leading strategic initiatives.

Embodying this year’s theme, “Above & Beyond: Challenging Expectations,” the women of Deutsche Aircraft are inspiring the next generation through initiatives like Fly It Forward, strengthening our collective path toward a more inclusive and future-ready aviation industry.

Partnership with Kepner-Tregoe to Strengthen Leadership Excellence

In February, Deutsche Aircraft partnered with Kepner-Tregoe (KT), a global leader in critical thinking training. KT will support our organisation with tailored programmes aimed at improving leadership behaviour, decision making, risk assessment and sustainable problem solving. These capabilities are essential as we scale operations and advance toward certification and global market entry.

Advancing Digital Engineering with Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Platform

We have strengthened our digital development capabilities by adopting Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, enabling earlier virtual design, simulation and validation to reduce risk and accelerate programme decisions. This new digital backbone enhances seamless collaboration across engineering and production teams and supports industrial preparation for the Leipzig Final Assembly Line, including immersive mixed reality reviews using 3DLive and Apple Vision Pro.

What’s Next for 2026

As we close the first quarter, we look ahead to maintaining strong momentum across programme development. This includes our participation at Aero Friedrichshafen in April and ILA Berlin in June, continued supplier integration, and ongoing industrial preparation — particularly the important progress at our carbon-neutral Final Assembly Line in Leipzig following the hard winter period. We are also advancing steadily with the certification activities for the D328eco landing gear.

We appreciate your continued trust and partnership as we move the D328eco forward on its path to certification and entry into service.

Warmest regards,

Nico Neumann

CEO of Deutsche Aircraft