SAFs are produced from renewable biomass and waste resources
The first transatlantic flight using 100 % pure sustainable aviation fuel (Saf) took off from Heathrow on Tuesday, November 28. The Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight to New York JFK left the airport shortly before 12 am.
Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Atlantic, and Mark Harper, the transport secretary, were on the plane, but there were no paying passengers accompanying them on the trip.
SAFs are produced from renewable biomass and waste resources and can be used in jet fuel in modern aircraft to a maximum of 50 per cent, having been blended with kerosene.
“The world will always assume something can’t be done until you do it,” Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson said before joining the flight.
“The spirit of innovation is getting out there and trying to prove that we can do things better for everyone’s benefit.”
Virgin Atlantic posted a video of the first-ever transatlantic flight. “History at 38,000ft. Virgin Atlantic is currently flying the world’s first 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel flight across the Atlantic by a commercial airline. Flight100 marks the culmination of more than a year of radical cross-industry collaboration to see this take to the skies,” the airlines wrote in the caption.
See the video here:
History at 38,000ft. Virgin Atlantic is currently flying the world’s first 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel flight across the Atlantic by a commercial airline. Flight100 marks the culmination of more than a year of radical cross industry collaboration to see this take to the skies. pic.twitter.com/97mLaa4hoj
— virginatlantic (@VirginAtlantic) November 28, 2023
According to the UK government, the flight marks a major milestone towards making air travel more environment-friendly as the world moves towards its goal of net zero by 2050.
The UK government announced last December that it was providing up to $1.26 million in support of the project, led by Virgin in collaboration with the University of Sheffield, US aircraft manufacturer Boeing and British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, AFP reported.
Speaking ahead of take-off, British Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the government “will continue to support the UK’s emerging SAF industry as it creates jobs, grows the economy and gets us to Jet Zero”.
