Virgin Atlantic is breaking records as the first airline to cross the pond on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The Boeing 787 Dreamliner powere by two Boeing 787 Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines named “Flight100” made the historic flight from from London Heathrow to New York JFK proving a viable, sustainable and safe option for future SAF operated flights.
The Benefits Of SAF
Airlines and manufacturers are placing a huge emphasis on sustainability. SAF fuel is being implemented into new manufactured aircraft including corporate jets, however there was a gap in transatlantic commercial aircraft operating on SAF until now. Unlike other alternative propulsion platforms that are years away, SAF is operational and has many great environmental benefits. The SAF used on Virgin Atlantic’s flight 100 uses a blend of 88% HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) supplied by AirBP and 12% SAK (Synthetic Aromatic Kerosene) supplied by Virent Marathon Petroleum Corporation. The HEFA is made from waste fats while the SAK is made from plant sugars, with the remainder of plant proteins, oil and fibers. SAK is needed in 100% SAF blends to give the fuel the required aromatics for engine function. Simply put SAF uses natural elements from the earth as opposed to traditional polluting fossil fuels.
A Sustainable Future For Virgin Atlantic
Flight 100 marks a significant milestone for Virgin Atlantic on many fronts. Flight 100 builds upon 15 years of leading and scaling SAF into a viable option for transatlantic operations. Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss had this to say about Flight100, “Flight100 proves that Sustainable Aviation Fuel can be used as a safe, drop-in replacement for fossil-derived jet fuel and it’s the only viable solution for decarbonizing long haul aviation.” Sir Richard Branson was on the historic flight and stated, “I couldn’t be prouder to be onboard Flight100 today alongside the teams at Virgin Atlantic and our partners, which have been working together to set the flight path for the decarbonization of long-haul aviation.” While there is much to be done on the government and regulatory side of SAF, Virgin Atlantic Flight100 pushes the airline one step closer to their Net Zero 2050 commitment.
