H2 Aircraft Certification Short Course Now Available On-Demand

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• 8 Lectures / 12 classroom hours / 1.2 CEU / 12 PDH

• This is the first comprehensive course dedicated to certification of hydrogen-powered aircraft, designed for industry professionals and regulators.

• All students will receive a Certificate of Completion from HYSKY Society.

Wade Ewing of JHG Industries was part of the inaugural class—the first group ever to receive a Hydrogen Aircraft Certification from HYSKY Society. A true pioneer in zero-emission aviation.

Overview

The Hydrogen Aircraft Certification Short Course provides a comprehensive foundation in the regulatory, technical, and operational pathways required for certifying hydrogen-powered aircraft. Covering propulsion, storage, safety, airworthiness, and policy, the program equips students to navigate certification frameworks across major global regulators.

This training is essential for aircraft developers, compliance leads, maintenance program managers, regulators, airports, hydrogen producers, refueling stations, fire safety experts, and anyone interested in preparing for the future of zero-emission flight.

Learning Objectives 

At the conclusion of this short course, students will be able to:

• Understand hydrogen aircraft certification foundations across FAA, EASA, and Transport Canada.

• Assess certification requirements for electric and fuel cell propulsion systems.

• Evaluate safety and compliance challenges in LH₂ storage and fuel systems.

• Identify operational certification requirements including ground handling and MRO.

• Apply continuous airworthiness and licensing principles to hydrogen aircraft.

• Examine global standards and policy roadmaps for hydrogen aviation.

Audience

This course is intended for:

• Aircraft developers and certification specialists

• Compliance and regulatory leads

• Regulators and policymakers (FAA, EASA, Transport Canada, etc.)

• Airports and infrastructure planners

• Hydrogen producers and refueling station operators

• Maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) professionals

• Pilots, engineers, and managers seeking certification literacy

• Anyone preparing for or interested in zero-emission flight

Course Fees

• Non-Member Price: $500 USD

• HYSKY Connect VIP Member Price: $200 USD

• Student Price: $200 USD

• Sign-In to HYSKY Connect to Register

Outline

Intro to Regulations and Standards Developments (Focus on US Regulations)

• Understand basics of aircraft certification

• Review current hydrogen standards developments (US focus)

• Discuss FAA rules on powered-lift, LSA, and UAS

• Compare FAA, EASA, and CAA approaches

• Identify role of SAE and EuroCAE in standards development

Certification of Electric and Fuel Cell Propulsion Systems

• Why electric and fuel cell propulsion?

• Recognize regulatory challenges

• Compare FAA and EASA approaches

• Examine examples in fixed-wing and rotorcraft

Certification Foundations and Regulatory Framework (Focus on Canadian Regulations)

• Understand airworthiness overview (history, purpose)

• Differentiate type vs. product certification

• Apply Canadian regulatory structure: Aeronautics Act, CARs, AWM

• Review CAR 521 roles, phases, and evidence requirements

• Explain foreign validation and bilaterals

• Apply framework to hydrogen systems (LH₂ and fuel-cell)

Introduction to Hydrogen Storage and Fuel Supply on Aircraft

• Understand hydrogen storage and fuel supply (gas and liquid)

• Review design parameters and failure modes

• Assess FAA/EASA/CAA regulations on hydrogen storage and supply

Ground Handling and Operational Certification

• Review hydrogen aircraft ground handling safety procedures

• Identify fueling infrastructure and operational requirements

• Understand certification pathways and regulatory standards

• Define staff training and competence needs

• Explore emerging frameworks shaping future regulations

Continuing Airworthiness, MRO, and Licensing

• Adapt continuous airworthiness processes for hydrogen propulsion

• Identify hydrogen-specific hazards and infrastructure needs

• Propose MRO strategies for hydrogen systems

• Explore training and upskilling needs for personnel

Standardization and Future Policy Directions

• Explain role of standardization in hydrogen aviation

• Identify key international organizations and regulators

• Evaluate influence of policy on adoption and certification

• Analyze challenges in harmonizing global standards

• Assess contribution of standards/policy to decarbonization goals

Lecture Schedule

Instructors

Danielle McLean 

Danielle McLean is the CEO and Founder of HYSKY Society, a nonprofit dedicated to decarbonizing aviation with hydrogen. An aerospace engineer and entrepreneur, she has created pioneering programs including FLYING HY, the world’s top hydrogen aviation event, the H2Hub Summit on hydrogen infrastructure, and the HYSKY Connect membership platform. Danielle also developed the industry’s first short courses on hydrogen-powered aircraft certification, working with regulators and industry leaders to bridge knowledge gaps. Through HYSKY, she has become a catalyst for partnerships, awareness, and economic growth across the hydrogen and aerospace sectors.

Mike Hirschberg 

Mike Hirschberg is Principal of H2 Advisors, LLC and Executive Director Emeritus of the Vertical Flight Society, where he led the global vertical flight community for over a decade. Widely recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on eVTOL and hydrogen aviation, he launched the first public eVTOL conference in 2014, founded the VFS H2eVTOL Council, organized the first hydrogen-electric aviation conference in North America in 2022, and co-founded SAE’s AE-5H Hydrogen Aviation Committee. He has advised NASA, FAA, DARPA, and the Pentagon, authored Hydrogen is a Game Changer for Vertical Flight (Forbes, 2024), and supported Joby, Piasecki, and Alaka’i Technologies in shaping the next generation of hydrogen-powered aircraft.

Dr. Sayem Zafar 

Dr. Sayem Zafar is a leading expert in green hydrogen and PEM fuel cell technologies, with a strong focus on aerospace and unmanned aerial systems. For over 14 years, he has designed and developed hydrogen fuel cell powertrains for fixed-wing UAVs, eVTOLs, and multi-rotor drones. Holding a Ph.D., his research has consistently advanced the integration of hydrogen fuel cells into UAVs, developing next-generation propulsion systems. His work spans hybrid solar-hydrogen UAV platforms, conversion of combustion drones to fuel cells, and optimization of hydrogen-based propulsion architectures. A certified instructor and advisor on hydrogen aviation, Dr. Zafar has published more than 20 peer-reviewed papers, with contributions that are shaping the future of clean propulsion and advanced air mobility.

Adam A. Bakos 

Adam A. Bakos is a Professional Engineer with 15 years of aerospace experience focused on airworthiness procedures, aircraft type certification, product integrity, and international regulatory affairs. He has held leadership roles managing complex certification projects in multi-disciplinary environments and is currently a Project Certification Manager at Transport Canada Civil Aviation. Adam earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Toronto Metropolitan University, along with a Certificate in Project Management from the University of Toronto. He obtained his P.Eng designation in 2014, his PMP in 2016, and became an internationally recognized Professional Engineer and Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 2021. Previously a Senior Engineering Specialist and Section Team Lead at Bombardier, Adam also serves as a graduate-level lecturer at TMU, teaching Aircraft Type Certification and Airworthiness since 2021.

Bill Spellane 

Bill Spellane is CEO of StarCube and former COO of Alaka’i Technologies, where he helped lead the development of SKAI, a hydrogen-powered eVTOL designed for over 400 miles of range using liquid hydrogen fuel cells. At Alaka’i, he oversaw flight testing, system integration, and early certification strategies, while advocating for hydrogen as a scalable, practical aviation fuel. Spellane has presented at the Vertical Flight Society’s H2-Aero Symposium and continues to shape industry understanding of how hydrogen-electric propulsion systems can be certified and brought to market.

Dr. Eva Maleviti 

Dr. Eva Maleviti is an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of the MSc in Aviation & Aerospace Sustainability at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, with over 14 years of academic experience across the UK, US, and Greece. She has developed and taught courses on aviation sustainability, safety, human factors, risk management, and environmental systems, and since 2019 has served as a technical expert for ICAO’s CORSIA scheme with the Hellenic Accreditation System. Previously, she spent a decade as academic coordinator and instructor at the Hellenic Aerospace Industry’s EASA Part 147 Training Directorate, while also consulting for airlines and MROs on sustainability strategies, ESG reporting, and regulatory compliance. Dr. Maleviti is an IRCA-certified Lead Auditor for ISO 9001 and 9100D, a licensed private pilot and UAS operator, and a Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society. She has authored two books on sustainable aviation and energy management, published over 15 journal papers, and spoken at more than 20 international conferences and forums worldwide.

Classroom Hours / CEUs

12 classroom hours / 1.2 CEU / 12 PDH

Course Delivery and Materials

• The course lectures will be delivered via Zoom on the HYSKY Connect platform. 

• All sessions available on-demand and you can stream the replay video anytime, 24/7.

• All slides are available for download. No part of these materials may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted, unless for course participants. All rights reserved.

• Between lectures during the course, the instructor(s) will be available via email for technical questions and comments.