An Airbus H225 completed the first flight of a helicopter powered entirely by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the European aerospace manufacturer reported.
The operation was part of Airbus’ flight campaign aimed at studying the impact of using SAF in its helicopters. In November 2021, an H225 had conducted a test flight using sustainable fuel in one of its two Safran Makila 2 engines.
The goal, according to the company, is to continue testing on other helicopter models with different powerplants and thus move towards certifying all of its aircraft to operate with 100% SAF by 2030. All Airbus commercial aircraft and helicopters are already certified to fly with a SAF mix of up to 50%.
Stefan Thome, Executive VP, Engineering and Chief Technical Officer at Airbus Helicopters, said the flight represents «an important milestone for the helicopter industry.» The company says it aims to reduce emissions from its helicopters by up to 50% by 2030.
As with fixed-wing aircraft, sustainable aviation fuels are one of the most viable and affordable alternatives to achieve near-term emissions reductions in the aviation industry. One of their main advantages lies in the ease with which they can be used while maintaining aircraft and engine structures and the ground infrastructure itself.
However, their implementation is not yet widespread: currently, they represent only 0.1% of the total production of aviation fuels. However, projections indicate that its production and use will grow in the coming years, mainly due to the growing demand from operators and the industry’s adaptation to new parameters and regulations related to greenhouse gas emissions.
