British Air Force Sets World Record For First Flight Powered By Synthetic Fuel
Image via ACM Sir Mike Wigston
Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) has officially set a Guinness World Record for completing the first-ever flight powered only by synthetic fuel. Group Captain Peter Hackett helmed the Ikarus C42 Microlight Aircraft as it took off from Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire, England.
Throughout the 21-minute-long flight, the airplane ran on synthetic gasoline, produced by UK-based synthetic fuel firm, Zero Petroleum. According to Interesting Engineering, this test flight was part of a larger initiative—The RAF’s Project MARTIN—to reduce the amount of carbon emissions produced by the service. The synthetic fuel used could reduce greenhouse gasses by up to 90% per flight, all while allowing the aircraft to function as usual.
While most of society has its sights set on electric aircraft, military flights won’t be able to access a charger network whenever they need to juice up, especially during trips to remote areas of the world. This is where synthetic fuel comes in as an alternative, eco-friendly solution.
Synthetic fuel works by adding hydrogen molecules from water to the carbon dioxide captured in the air, then converting the mixture into fuel to power planes. As Interesting Engineering noted, it’s become a popular choice due to the fact it delivers the same energy density as fossil fuels, but without the carbon emissions. Additionally, synthetic fuel can be used with conventional aircraft engines, enabling organizations to adopt the technology with incurring extra costs on modifications.
At the moment, the production of synthetic fuel isn’t yet at net-zero carbon levels, but Zero Petroleum has found a temporary solution of using renewable energy sources to power its manufacturing needs. The US Air Force has reportedly shown interest in the emerging technology, though it’s only planning on using it as an add-on to fossil fuels, and not a complete replacement, unlike the RAF.
Going forward, the RAF plans to unveil a Net Zero airbase by 2025, and become a completely Net Zero force by 2040.
“The way we power our aircraft will be a big part of achieving that goal, and this exciting project to make aviation fuel from air and water shows how it might be done. I am delighted at the award of this world record, and to see the Royal Air Force yet again at the leading edge of innovation and technology,” said Air Chief Marshal, Sir Mike Wigston.
The RAF has completed a pioneering Guinness World Record with the first flight of a fully synthetically fuelled aircraft, opening the way to the potential for zero carbon aviation. #RAFNetZero2040 #OneStepGreener #sustainability #GuinnessWorldRecords #GWRDay @GWR pic.twitter.com/2SpvFV8F02
— Royal Air Force (@RoyalAirForce) November 17, 2021
The story of the first flight with 100% synthetic fuel @RoyalAirForce #FirstSyntheticFlight #FossilFreeFuture pic.twitter.com/Unx6PfZUyy
— Zero® Petroleum (@ZeroPetroleum) November 17, 2021
[via Interesting Engineering, cover image via ACM Sir Mike Wigston]
