UNITED has operated a flight that will serve as a turning point in the industry's effort to combat climate change, reports London's Air Cargo News.
For the first time in aviation history, a commercial carrier flew an aircraft full of passengers using 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
US carrier united has also announced the second round of corporate participants in the airline's Eco-Skies AllianceSM programme to collectively contribute towards the purchase of SAF.
United, a leader in the use and support for the development of SAF, an alternative fuel made with non-petroleum feedstocks, already has agreements to purchase nearly twice as much SAF as the known agreements of all other global airlines combined.
SAF has the potential to deliver the performance of petroleum-based jet fuel but with a fraction of its carbon footprint.
According to the US Department of Energy, the country's vast feedstock resources are enough to meet the projected fuel demand of the entire US aviation industry.
'United continues to lead from the front when it comes to climate change action,' said United CEO Scott Kirby, who added: 'The SAF flight is not only a significant milestone for efforts to decarbonise our industry, but when combined with the surge in commitments to produce and purchase alternative fuels, we're demonstrating the scalable and impactful way companies can join together and play a role in addressing the biggest challenge of our lifetimes.'
The demonstration flight - which departed with more than 100 passengers from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and landed at Washington DC's Reagan National Airport - was on a new United Boeing 737 MAX 8.
The flight used 500 gallons of SAF in one engine and the same amount of conventional jet fuel in the other engine to further prove there are no operational differences between the two and to set the stage for more scalable uses of SAF by all airlines in the future.
Currently airlines are permitted only to use a maximum of 50 per cent SAF on board. The SAF used on the flight was drop-in ready and compatible with existing aircraft fleets.
SeaNews Turkey
For the first time in aviation history, a commercial carrier flew an aircraft full of passengers using 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
US carrier united has also announced the second round of corporate participants in the airline's Eco-Skies AllianceSM programme to collectively contribute towards the purchase of SAF.
United, a leader in the use and support for the development of SAF, an alternative fuel made with non-petroleum feedstocks, already has agreements to purchase nearly twice as much SAF as the known agreements of all other global airlines combined.
SAF has the potential to deliver the performance of petroleum-based jet fuel but with a fraction of its carbon footprint.
According to the US Department of Energy, the country's vast feedstock resources are enough to meet the projected fuel demand of the entire US aviation industry.
'United continues to lead from the front when it comes to climate change action,' said United CEO Scott Kirby, who added: 'The SAF flight is not only a significant milestone for efforts to decarbonise our industry, but when combined with the surge in commitments to produce and purchase alternative fuels, we're demonstrating the scalable and impactful way companies can join together and play a role in addressing the biggest challenge of our lifetimes.'
The demonstration flight - which departed with more than 100 passengers from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and landed at Washington DC's Reagan National Airport - was on a new United Boeing 737 MAX 8.
The flight used 500 gallons of SAF in one engine and the same amount of conventional jet fuel in the other engine to further prove there are no operational differences between the two and to set the stage for more scalable uses of SAF by all airlines in the future.
Currently airlines are permitted only to use a maximum of 50 per cent SAF on board. The SAF used on the flight was drop-in ready and compatible with existing aircraft fleets.
SeaNews Turkey