Virgin Atlantic has made aviation historical past by efficiently finishing the world’s first transatlantic flight fueled solely by sustainable aviation gas (SAF). Flight100, operated by Virgin Atlantic in collaboration with the College of Sheffield-led consortium, departed from London Heathrow and safely landed at New York JFK. This groundbreaking achievement not solely showcases the potential of SAF but additionally paves the best way for a greener future within the aviation business.
By demonstrating the feasibility of changing conventional jet gas with SAF on long-haul flights, this achievement performs a significant function in decarbonising the aviation business, a sector identified for its vital carbon emissions.
Taking off at 1149 GMT from London’s Heathrow Airport, the flight arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport at 1405 EST (1905 GMT), a formidable 35 minutes forward of schedule.
Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic, emphasised the importance of Flight100 in aviation’s decarbonization efforts. “Flight100 marks an necessary milestone in aviation’s greatest problem – decarbonization. It’s taken radical collaboration and we’re proud to have reached this level, however we have to push additional,” Weiss mentioned.
Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson expressed the necessity for motion to create a UK SAF business to allow long-haul aviation to make use of 100% SAF on each flight.
Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgic said that SAF is the one answer to decarbonise industrial flights within the medium time period.
The success of Flight100 goals to drive elevated adoption of SAF within the aviation business and contribute to the business’s aim of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
What’s SAF?
Sustainable aviation gas (SAF) is a kind of gas constituted of renewable or waste sources that can be utilized as a drop-in alternative for conventional jet gas . SAF carefully resembles conventional jet gas in look, scent, and performance, permitting it for use in present plane with out modifications It’s constituted of waste merchandise akin to used cooking oil and waste animal fats, in addition to artificial fragrant kerosene constituted of waste corn SAF can scale back carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 70 % in comparison with conventional jet gas.
The usage of sustainable aviation gas affords a number of benefits for the aviation business and the surroundings. The profitable transatlantic flight utilizing 100% SAF demonstrates the viability of utilizing sustainable aviation gas for long-haul journeys. SAF can considerably scale back carbon dioxide emissions in comparison with conventional jet gas, contributing to the decarbonisation of the aviation business. It may be utilized in right now’s plane engines, airframes, and gas infrastructure with out the necessity for modifications.
The Sustainable Aviation Fuels Innovation Centre (SAF-IC) on the College of Sheffield is provided with a state-of-the-art gas testing lab, enabling it to conduct pre-screening of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). This facility has the capability to check and validate novel fuels, offering the UK with essential testing capabilities to expedite ASTM approvals and introduce new SAF fuels to the market.
Affect on aviation
Virgin Atlantic Founder, Sir Richard Branson, UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper, and CEO, Shai Weiss, have a good time arrival of Flight100 in New York | AP
The world-first transatlantic flight utilizing 100% sustainable aviation gas represents a big milestone within the business’s efforts to decarbonise. It showcases the potential of low-carbon choices and highlights the necessity for elevated adoption of SAF to cut back emissions within the aviation sector. Whereas SAF presently represents lower than 0.1 % of world jet gas volumes, the success of Flight100 goals to drive a rise within the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels. SAF can play an important function within the decarbonisation of the aviation business and the pathway to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
The aviation business faces challenges in scaling up the manufacturing of SAF because of the excessive price and tight provide of supplies wanted to make it. Nevertheless, the business recognises that SAF is an important answer for decarbonising industrial flights within the medium time period. The aim is to extend the share of SAF within the business’s gas combine, with the goal of reaching “web zero” emissions by 2050.
