Emirates to operate A380 demonstration flight with 100% SAF

Emirates has successfully completed an A380 demonstration flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), making it the first airline in the world to do so.

Captains Khalid Binsultan and Philippe Lombet proudly led today’s flight, which took off from Dubai International Airport (DXB) using one of four engines running entirely on solar energy. This flight served to highlight solar energy’s potential as a drop-in replacement that satisfies the technical and chemical requirements of jet fuel while also being a more environmentally friendly option.

When compared to traditional jet fuel, SAF can lower carbon emissions by up to 85%* over the fuel’s life cycle. The 100% drop-in SAF used on today’s flight includes renewable aromatics and closely mimics the characteristics of conventional jet fuel.

This is the first time that drop-in SAF has been used on an A380 aircraft, with the expectation of full compatibility across the aircraft’s existing systems. The flight carried four tonnes of SAF, comprised of HEFA-SPK provided by Neste (hydro processed esters and fatty acids synthetic paraffinic kerosene) and HDO-SAK from Virent (hydro deoxygenated synthetic aromatic kerosene).

The 100% SAF was used in one Engine Alliance GP7200 engine, while conventional jet fuel was used in the other three engines. The PW980 auxiliary power unit (APU) from Pratt & Whitney Canada also ran on 100% SAF.