Airbus A380 with sustainable aviation fuel derived from cooking oil takes maiden flight

The aviation sector has some of the highest emissions and to achieve zero-emission aircraft by 2035, Airbus tested one of its A380's engines with Sustainable Aviation Fuel or SAF.

Source- Airbus Instagram

More than three years after the company stopped producing its double-decker A380 aircraft, Airbus is now using this jumbo-jet as a test-bed for new aviation technologies. The A380 test aircraft flew for some three hours on March 25 using Sustainable Aviation Fuel for one of its four engines.

Airbus ZEROe demonstrator aircraft took off from Amsterdam at 8:43 am local time in the morning. As part of the company's plan to build a zero-emission aircraft by 2035, it will include an additional hydrogen-powered test engine mounted towards the aft end of the fuselage in the future.

who’s the next to take off with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel…it’s the #A380! After the #A350 and the #A319neo last year, we’re so proud to continue our 100% SAF journey with this iconic aircraft that will remain in our skies for decades to come https://t.co/l3WS4fmiJM pic.twitter.com/PShaVbTMLh

— Airbus (@Airbus) March 28, 2022

Total Energies, the French oil and gas company, which has a refinery in Le Havre, a major port in the Normandy region, provided the 27 tons of SAF for the flight. HEFA, which stands for Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acid that is totally aromatic and sulphur-free, is the SAF used by Airbus. The HEFA is primarily made up of used cooking oil.

In a 12-month period, it is the third Airbus aircraft type to be operated on 100% SAF, following an Airbus A350 in March 2021 and an A319neo single-aisle aircraft in October 2021.  In November, another Safran Makila 2 engine was powered by 100% SAF on an Airbus H225 helicopter. Commercial Airbus aircraft are certified to burn 50% biofuel blends, according to certification standards.

According to the Air Transport Action Group's second edition of Waypoint 2050, which was released last September, the use of SAF could constitute a third to a half of the carbon emissions reductions that the aviation industry would have to make for net-zero emissions by mid-century.

By 2050, a scenario in the report referred to as 'Aggressive Sustainable Fuel Deployment' is expected to see 90 per cent of our fuel supply switch to SAF. This would require 445Mt of SAF and an increase of 89.9% in sustainable fuel consumption.