Virgin Atlantic and Rolls-Royce are set to make the first transatlantic flight fully on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on Tuesday (November 28).
The flight between London Heathrow and New York JFK will be made on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, powered by a Trent 1000 engine.
Fuel suppliers Air bp and Virent are supplying 60 tonnes of SAF, supporting the research flight, and the fuel comprises Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) as well as synthetic aromatic kerosene (SAK) at an estimated 88%-12% ratio.
SAF typically delivers carbon dioxide lifecycle emission savings of more than 70% compared with conventional jet fuel, but represents less than 0.1% of fuel volumes. Fuel standards allow for a 50% SAF blend in commercial jet engines.
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