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Virgin Atlantic embarks on a historic journey on Tuesday, flying from Heathrow in London to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner using 100 percent SAF. A year of work has led up to this milestone to demonstrate the capability of SAF a safe alternative for fossil-derived jet fuel and compatible with today's engines, airframes and fuel infrastructure.
This historic flight is the world's first commercial flight across the Atlantic using 100 percent SAF. The flight came one week after Gulfstream flew the world's first transatlantic flight using 100 percent SAF flying in a Gufstream G600. Gulfstream became the first business jet OEM to fly using 100 percent SAF and the first corporate aircraft to make the transatlantic flight. Virgin Atlantic accomplished a milestone for commercial travel, bringing a sustainable option for public air travel. Virgin Atlantic's Boeing 787 is equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines.RELATED STORY:World's first 100 percent SAF transatlantic flight 1 step closer, ground testing successfulGulfstream flies world's first trans-Atlantic flight on 100 percent SAF in G600
"In 2008 Virgin Atlantic and Boeing completed the first commercial SAF test flight on a 747 and today we will accomplish yet another significant milestone utilizing a 787 Dreamliner," said Sheila Remes, VP of environmental sustainability at Boeing. "This flight is a key step toward our commitment to deliver 100% SAF-compatible airplanes by 2030. As we work toward the civil aviation industry's net-zero goal, today's historic journey highlights what we can achieve together."
"We are incredibly proud that our Trent 1000 engines are powering the first ever widebody flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel across the Atlantic today," said Simon Burr, group director of engineering, technology andamp; safety at Rolls-Royce. "Rolls-Royce has recently completed compatibility testing of 100% SAF on all our in-production civil aero engine types and this is further proof that there are no engine technology barriers to the use of 100% SAF. The flight represents a major milestone for the entire aviation industry in its journey towards net zero carbon emissions."
The 787 flew using a unique blend of 88 percent Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids supplied by AirBP and 12 percent Synthetic Aromatic Kerosene supplied by Virent. The HEFA is produced from waste fats and the SAK is made from plant sugars and the remainder of plant proteins, oiks and fibers continue into the food chain. SAK is required in 100 percent SAF blends to provide the fuel with the required aromatics for engine function.
"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," Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss said. "It's taken radical collaboration to get here and we're proud to have reached this important milestone, but we need to push further. There's simply not enough SAF and it's clear that in order to reach production at scale, we need to see significantly more investment. This will only happen when regulatory certainty and price support mechanisms, backed by Government, are in place. Flight100 proves that if you make it, we'll fly it."
Flight100 proves the power of SAF in achieving the industry-wide goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The fuel is made from waste products and delivers CO2 lifecycle emissions savings of up to 70 percent while performing like traditional jet fuel. Newer technologies like electric and hydrogen are still in development, but SAF can be used now. SAF currently represents less than 0.1 percent of global jet fuel volumes. Now, the fuel standards allow for a 50 percent SAF blend in commercial jet engines and Flight100 will show that scaling the transition to 100 percent SAF use is a matter of policy and investment.
In addition to proving the immense capability of SAF, Flight100 will show how using the alternative fuel will affect its non-carbon emissions through the help of consortium partners ICF, Rocky Mountain Institite, Imerpail College London and University of Sheffield. The research from this achievement will improve the scientific understanding of the effects of SAF on contrails and particulates, helping to implement contrail forecasts into the flight planning process. The data and research will then be shared with the industry while Virgin Atlantic continues an involvement with contrail work through RMI's Climate Impact Task Force, partially funded by Virgin Unite.
To achieve the industry's Net Zero 2050 goal, the use of SAF is crucial. Innovation and investment is needed across the available feedstocks and technologies must be utilized to maximize SAF volumes and continue with the necessary research and development to bring new zero-emission aircraft to the market. Virgin Atlantic has a commitment to finding new, sustainable ways to fly. The airline has a 15-year track record in the development of SAF at scale, operating one of the youngest and most fuel- and carbon-efficient fleets in the sky. As the industry and government transition toward sustainability, it must be a collective effort.
"Today's historic flight, powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel, shows how we can both decarbonize transport and enable passengers to keep flying when and where they want," Transport Secretary Mark Harper said. "This Government has backed today's flight to take-off and we will continue to support the UK's emerging SAF industry as it creates jobs, grows the economy and gets us to Jet Zero."
Virgin Atlantic said the industry and government must work together to create a grow the burgeoning UK SAF industry and meet the goal of 10 percent SAF by 2030. Through a collaborative effort, the industry and government must capitalize on the social and economic benefits brought by the transition, like an estimated contribution of £1.8 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK and more than 10,000 jobs.
The date was set in July after Virgin Atlantic and Rolls-Royce confirmed the success of the SAF blend in ground testing. After receiving the required regulatory approvals and testing, the flight could commence. The first 100 percent SAF transatlantic flight required cross-industry collaboration. Dedicated teams worked on research, testing and operations to make the project come to fruition.
With government funding, a year of research and development and a cross-industry collective effort, Virgin Atlantic takes off to make history. According to CNBC, the 787 departed Heathrow for JFK at 11:49 a.m. UK time, 6:49 a.m. ET and is due to land before 2 p.m. ET.
"The world will always assume something can't be done, until you do it," Virgin Atlantic Founder Sir Richard Branson said. "The spirit of innovation is getting out there and trying to prove that we can do things better for everyone's benefit. Virgin Atlantic has been challenging the status quo and pushing the aviation industry to never settle and do better since 1984. Fast forward nearly 40 years, that pioneering spirit continues to be Virgin Atlantic's beating heart as it pushes the boundaries from carbon fiber aircraft and fleet upgrades to sustainable fuels."
"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," Branson said.