Airlines are now geared towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly operations. In a time where aviation continues to grow and more planes are flying, reducing carbon emissions would mean a lot to Mother Earth. Emirates has become the world’s first airline to operate an Airbus A380 using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for a demonstration flight.
This historic flight, commanded by Captain Khalid Binsultan and Captain Philippe Lombet, took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB). The milestone event witnessed one of the A380’s four engines powered entirely by SAF, marking a significant step in exploring sustainable alternatives to conventional jet fuel.
The Importance of SAF in Aviation
SAF is not just a drop-in replacement for jet fuel, it matches the technical and chemical requirements of traditional jet fuel while offering a more sustainable option. The potential benefits are substantial, with SAF capable of reducing carbon emissions by up to 85%* over its life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel. Today’s demonstration flight is a crucial step toward the standardization, qualification, and adoption of 100% SAF flying, aligning with broader strategies by governments to support SAF production and scale-up.
The Emirates A380 demonstration flight coincides with the Third International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) in Dubai. It’s a result of collaborative efforts from key industry players like Airbus, Engine Alliance, Pratt & Whitney, Neste, Virent, and ENOC. These partners have been instrumental in the testing, technical assessments, and data analysis leading up to the flight.
The 100% drop-in SAF used in the A380 included renewable aromatics, closely mimicking the characteristics of conventional jet fuel. This was the first time drop-in SAF was used on an A380, with full compatibility across the aircraft’s systems expected. The flight carried four tonnes of SAF, comprising HEFA-SPK provided by Neste and HDO-SAK from Virent. ENOC played a crucial role in securing and blending the SAF at Dubai International Airport, while also managing the into-plane services.
Engine Testing and Performance
The SAF was used in one Engine Alliance GP7200 engine, with the other three engines running on conventional jet fuel. Additionally, the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW980 auxiliary power unit (APU) also ran on 100% SAF. Prior to the flight, extensive engine testing was conducted to validate the engine’s performance using the specially blended SAF, with no modifications needed. This testing was carried out at Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai.
Emirates Airline’s COO, Adel Al Redha, emphasized the significance of this event: “Emirates is the first passenger airline in the world to operate an A380 with 100% drop-in SAF powering one of four Engine Alliance GP7200 engines. This marks another significant step in validating the use of SAF in one of the engines of the A380, a wide-body aircraft with four engines.”
Julie Kitcher from Airbus, Amy Johnston of Engine Alliance, Aziz Koleilat from GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney’s Graham Webb, Jonathan Wood of Neste, Virent’s Dave Kettner, and His Excellency Saif Humaid al Falasi of ENOC, all echoed the sentiment, highlighting the collaborative effort and dedication to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Building on Previous Successes
Earlier this year, Emirates successfully completed the region’s first 100% SAF-powered demonstration flight on a Boeing 777-300ER. Moreover, the airline recently expanded its partnership with Neste for the supply of SAF and continues to uplift SAF in Norway and France.
Emirates actively participates in industry and UAE government working groups to scale SAF production and supply. The airline contributed to the UAE’s power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels roadmap and the National Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap launched in January 2023.
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