Airbus A380 Completes A Full Flight Running On Cooking Oil
Image via Airbus
Don’t know what to do with your excess deep-frying oil? Airbus is among a fleet of aircraft companies cooking up a storm in the travel industry by upcycling cooking oil into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Successful experiments with the A350 and A319neo welled up the company with a sky-high ambition, so it dreamed bigger and tested the fuel on the A380, the largest passenger airliner in the world. France-based TotalEnergies has been supplying the unblended SAF to the firm.
On March 25, Airbus flew an SAF-powered A380, with a single Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine, from Blagnac Airport in Toulouse to its French headquarters—a trip that took three hours. Needless to say, the journey was no small fry.
Notably, this is the first time it has used 100% SAF (27 tonnes of it!) from start to finish, from takeoff and climb to cruise and landing.
The sustainable fuel is, importantly, free of fossil fuels, as well as aromatics and sulfur. It’s a concoction of hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA), with the majority being derived from old cooking oil and other waste fats.
“Together, we’ve clearly demonstrated that an aircraft as large as the A380 can successfully operate on unblended SAF,” describes François Pfindel, Airbus Head of A380 MAP. “
With the feat, Airbus soars closer to its goal of launching the world’s first emission-free aircraft by 2035.
👀 who’s the next âœˆï¸ 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
[via CNN, Stuff.co.nz, Airbus, cover image via Airbus]
