Virgin Atlantic is planning to fly the first-ever transatlantic flight 100% powered by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on 28 November. The airline has completed a successful SAF blend ground test on a Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine. The milestone launch planned from London Heathrow to New York JFK, will be the first 100% SAF flight on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The flight will go ahead on 28 November with 60 tonnes of SAF to be used and supplied by Air bp and Virent. People ‘key to the project’ are expected to be invited onboard (rather than paying passengers) but all is subject to further testing, safety checks and regulatory approval.
SAF kicks out up to 70% less CO2 emissions than traditional jet fuel and the one-off flight will demonstrate the potential of SAF as a 100% drop-in replacement for fossil fuel. It will be a historic moment and fundamental in the role to decarbonisation aviation.
Radical collaboration, government support and huge investment is needed to create a UK SAF industry, to meet the targets set for 2030. Aircracft fleets need to be transformed and modified, so that every single flight that operates out of the UK will be 100% SAF compliant.
Watch this space!
