The regional aircraft manufacturer ATR, in partnership with Swedish airline Braathens Regional Airlines and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplier Neste successfully performed the first-ever 100% SAF-powered test flight on a commercial regional aircraft.
The 1 hour and 20 minutes flight took place in Sweden, as part of the 100% SAF certification process of ATR aircraft that started in September 2021 and should be completed by 2025. While flights with 100% SAF in one engine were successfully carried out in the past, this is the first time it was done with 100% SAF in two engines.
This milestone will allow the aviation industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over its life cycle by up to 80% compared to fossil jet fuel use. Furthermore, as it relies on drop-in fuel, it can be used in existing aircraft engines and is compatible with current airport fuel infrastructure.
This breakthrough innovation shows the importance of improved industrial partnerships to speed up the transition to a low carbon industry and achieve EU climate targets. The TAKE-OFF project brings together actors from the entire aviation industry value chain to develop technologies accelerating the production of SAF and support the aviation industry in reducing its carbon footprint.
Read the full press release here.
