German manufacturer Deutsche Aircraft has taken a huge leap towards serial production of its D328eco next‑generation regional turboprop with the opening of its Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ) facility.
On September 29, 2026, Deutsche Aircraft held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially mark the transition of the D328eco program from development to production.
Spanning 60,500 square meters, the new center, including the Final Assembly Line (FAL), has the capacity to build up to 48 aircraft per year.
According to Deutsche Aircraft, the FAL “incorporates advanced manufacturing technologies, automated logistics systems and paperless production processes to increase efficiency, quality and transparency throughout aircraft assembly”.
Leipzig will serve as the center for aircraft assembly, flight-readiness activities and global customer deliveries, while Oberpfaffenhofen remains the home of engineering, flight testing and certification activities.
The first D328eco to be assembled at the new facility is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2027, with series production planned to begin in 2028.
Deutsche Aircraft, said that beyond supporting the D328eco program, the FAL “strengthens Germany’s ability to design, certify, test, manufacture and support complete aircraft”.
“Together, our sites in Oberpfaffenhofen and Leipzig create an end-to-end capability for developing, certifying, industrialising, manufacturing and supporting complete aircraft in Germany,” Nico Neumann, CEO, Deutsche Aircraft, said. “For the first time in more than 60 years, every phase of the aircraft lifecycle will be integrated under a German aircraft programme.”
He added: “Carrying forward Dornier’s pioneering legacy, the FAL strengthens Germany’s resilience, competitiveness and sovereign aerospace capabilities while advancing a new generation of sustainable regional aviation.”