Virgin Atlantic burned only SAF to fly from London to New York, first time this has happened
The flight marks the world premiere with SAF at 100% by a commercial airline across the Atlantic, flown on a Boeing 787, using Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines
Virgin Atlantic
SkyTeam
LHR
Virgin Atlantic's historic flight with sustainable aviation fuel at 100% (SAF) took off from London Heathrow to New York JFK, marking the culmination of a year of radical collaboration to demonstrate SAF's capability as a safe replacement for fossil-derived jet fuel, compatible with today's engines, airframes and fuel infrastructure.
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In recent days it had been Emirates to fly an A380 from Dubai to Australia with a full 100% SAF fuel, now it is the turn of Virgin Atlantic, which has completed the first transatlantic flight in which + only new generation fuel was burned.
Flight100 demonstrated that the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Is a safe substitute for fossil-derived jet fuel And the only viable medium-term solution to decarbonize long-range aviation
What is SAF
SAF has a significant role to play in the decarbonization of long-range aviation and the path to Net Zero 2050. The fuel, made from waste products, provides lifecycle CO2 emission savings of up to 70%, while functioning as the conventional jet fuel it replaces . While other technologies, such as electricity and hydrogen, remain decades away, SAF can be used now.
Today, SAF accounts for less than 0.1% of global fuel volumes for aircraft and fuel standards allow only a SAF blend of 50% in commercial jet engines. Flight100 will demonstrate that the challenge of increasing production is a matter of policy and investment, and that industry and government must move quickly to create a thriving SAF industry in the UK.
The SAF used on Flight100 is a unique dual blend; 88% HEFA (hydro-processed esters and fatty acids) supplied by AirBP and 12% SAK (synthetic aromatic kerosene) supplied by Virent, a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation. HEFA is made from waste fats while SAK is made from vegetable sugars, with the rest of the vegetable protein, oil, and fiber continuing in the food chain. SAK is needed in SAF blends at 100% to give the fuel the aromatics needed for engine operation. To achieve Net Zero 2050, it is necessary to harness the innovation and investment needed in all available feedstocks and technologies to maximize SAF volumes and continue the research and development needed to bring new zero-emission aircraft to market.
Virgin Atlantic's goals toward sustainable travel
Virgin Atlantic committed to finding more sustainable ways to fly, acting in every part of the journey. Flight100, which already operates one of the youngest and most fuel- and carbon-efficient fleets in the sky, builds on 15 years of airline experience to lead the development of large-scale SAF. Collectively, industry and government must go further to create a UK SAF industry and achieve the 10% target of aviation SAF by 2030, leveraging the significant social and economic benefits it will bring-an estimated £1.8 billion contribution in gross value added to the UK and more than 10,000 jobs.
Branson is enthusiastic
Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Atlantic, said: "The world will always assume that something cannot be done until you do it. The spirit of innovation is emerging and trying to show that we can do things better for the benefit of all. Virgin Atlantic has been challenging the status quo and pushing the aviation industry to never settle and do better since 1984. Fast forward nearly 40 years, that pioneering spirit continues to be the beating heart of Virgin Atlantic as it expands the boundaries of aircraft and fleet carbon fiber improvements to sustainable fuels. I couldn't be prouder of you or to be on board Flight100 today along with Virgin Atlantic's teams and our partners, who have worked together to define the flight path for decarbonizing long-haul aviation."
Simon Burr, Group Director of Engineering, Technology & Safety, Rolls-Royce plc, said.: "We are incredibly proud that our Trent 1000 engines are powering the first-ever widebody flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel across the Atlantic. Rolls-Royce recently completed compatibility testing of the 100% SAF on all of our civilian aircraft engine types in production, and this is further proof that there are no technological barriers for engines to using the 100% SAF. The flight represents a milestone for the entire aviation industry on its journey to zero net carbon emissions."
