Industry First A350 fully powered with sustainable fuel takes off

With the successful take-off using 100% sustainable aviation fuel, aircraft manufacturer Airbus has started a new project that is testing the effects of using only sustainable aviation fuel on airliners.

For the project, Airbus is using its A350 Flightlab aircraft. The Emission and Climate Impact of Alternative Fuels project is being led by Airbus and supported by the DLR, a German aerospace research center and oil refining company Neste.

As of now, Airbus aircraft are certified to fly on a 50% blend between sustainable aviation fuel and kerosene. How an aircraft performs with 100% is yet to be answered and this is why the manufacturer started this series of tests now.

Steven Le Moing, Airbus New Energy Programme Manager, commented: “SAF is one of the aviation industry’s best low-carbon solutions with an immediate impact on CO₂ emissions today […] This research project will help us to better understand the impact of unblended SAF on the full scope of aircraft emissions, while supporting SAF’s future certification for blends that exceed today’s maximum of 50%.”

The Airbus A350 is using Trent XWB engines that have been performing well on the first flight. Previously, Airbus had performed various ground tests to measure particulate emissions in local environments. The test in the air will then assess the volume of consistency and contrails.

Regarding the first flight, Emiliano Requena Esteban, Airbus Flight Test Engineer, said: “The first flight went exceptionally well […] There’s no perceptible difference in engine behaviour between jet fuel and SAF. It's very exciting for me to contribute to a project that participates in the decarbonisation of our skies!”

In April, DLR will use its Flacon 20E to escort the A350 XWB mid-air. The aircraft will be equipped with a “sniffer” (sensor) and will be measuring emissions coming directly from the sustainable aviation fueled engine exhaust.

Airbus has stated that the project will help to better analyze the impact of other emissions like Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen dioxide, Water vapour, soot, aerosol and sulphate aerosol particles and contrails and contrail cirrus clouds.