Photo: Airbus
On March 25th, an Airbus A380 took to the skies powered by 100 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This milestone takes the company one step closer to certifying unblended SAF for commercial use by the end of this decade.
It’s going to be a long way until we see SAF used on a large scale. However, there’s no denying that compared to traditional fossil fuels, SAF is a much greener alternative. With statics showing that it could reduce carbon emissions by up to 71 percent, it remains a key element in the aviation industry’s plan of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Currently, all Airbus planes are already certified to fly with a 50 percent blend of SAF mixed with kerosene. And the company plans is to achieve certification of 100 percent SAF on all its aircraft by the end of this decade.
The recent flight shows that Airbus is making efforts to meet that goal. On Friday morning, an A380 test aircraft MSN1 operating with one Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine on 100 percent SAF took off from Blagnac Airport in Toulouse, France. The aircraft stayed in the air for three hours, successfully demonstrating a 100 percent SAF-powered flight.
“This is another great example of the aviation industry coming together to work towards achieving certification of 100% SAF by 2030,” explains François Pfindel, Airbus Head of A380 MAP. “Together, we’ve clearly demonstrated that an aircraft as large as the A380 can successfully operate on unblended SAF.”
The company used around 27 tonnes of unblended SAF for this flight, which was mainly produced from used cooking oil and other waste fats. On March 29th, the A380 will perform another test flight, which will focus on the performance of the fuel during take-off and landing.
Following this two-week 100 percent SAF test campaign, the A380 MSN1 will be renovated and converted into the ZEROe Demonstrator, which will be used to test groundbreaking hydrogen technologies.
Currently, all Airbus planes are already certified to fly with a 50 percent blend of SAF mixed with kerosene. And the company plans is to achieve certification of 100 percent SAF on all its aircraft by the end of this decade.
The recent flight shows that Airbus is making efforts to meet that goal. On Friday morning, an A380 test aircraft MSN1 operating with one Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine on 100 percent SAF took off from Blagnac Airport in Toulouse, France. The aircraft stayed in the air for three hours, successfully demonstrating a 100 percent SAF-powered flight.
“This is another great example of the aviation industry coming together to work towards achieving certification of 100% SAF by 2030,” explains François Pfindel, Airbus Head of A380 MAP. “Together, we’ve clearly demonstrated that an aircraft as large as the A380 can successfully operate on unblended SAF.”
The company used around 27 tonnes of unblended SAF for this flight, which was mainly produced from used cooking oil and other waste fats. On March 29th, the A380 will perform another test flight, which will focus on the performance of the fuel during take-off and landing.
Following this two-week 100 percent SAF test campaign, the A380 MSN1 will be renovated and converted into the ZEROe Demonstrator, which will be used to test groundbreaking hydrogen technologies.
???? who’s the next ?? to take off with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel…it’s the #A380! After the #A350 and the #A319neo last year, we’re so proud to continue our 100% SAF journey with this iconic aircraft that will remain in our skies for decades to come https://t.co/l3WS4fmiJM pic.twitter.com/PShaVbTMLh
— Airbus (@Airbus) March 28, 2022
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