The Anonymous Widower

Virgin Atlantic Granted Permit For Historic 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel Flight

The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Virgin Atlantic.

These two paragraphs outline the proposed flight.

Virgin Atlantic’s historic 100% sustainable aviation fuel flight has been granted a permit to fly by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Virgin Atlantic plans to fly across the Atlantic from London Heathrow to New York JFK on 28 November 2023 to test and showcase the feasibility of flying on 100% SAF.

Note.

1. Strangely, I’ve never flown Virgin, although I did once book then to go to Kenya, but as the flight was cancelled at the last minute, I swapped to Kenya Airways.
2. Virgin have seventeen Rolls-Royce-powered Boeing 787s.

As Branson is involved, I do wonder, if this is more about PR than anything else.

This paragraph talks about sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

SAF is fuel derived from non-petroleum based renewable sources that is capable of being used as a replacement for, or blended with, kerosene. SAF can currently be used in jet engines to a maximum blend of 50% with traditional kerosene without the need for any modifications. There are several processes to produce SAF, including algae, synthesised fuels from hydrogen waste, or from directly capturing carbon dioxide. When fully replacing kerosene, SAF could reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by over 70% compared to conventional fossil jet fuel.

There is nothing specifically said about the fuel, that Virgin Atlantic will use.

I first mentioned this flight in a post in December 2022, which is entitled World’s First Net Zero Transatlantic Flight To Fly From London in 2023, Powered By The Rolls-Royce Trent 1000.

The press release from Rolls-Royce, said that the flight would be this year. So, that appears to be happening.

In fact, it does appear that Rolls-Royce are being thorough with their testing of sustainable aviation fuel, as these posts include both Rolls-Royce and sustainable aviation fuel.

• Rolls-Royce Completes Next Step On Its Journey To Decarbonising Business Aviation
• New Rolls-Royce Small Engine Set To Begin Tests To Advance Hybrid-Electric Flight
• Rolls-Royce And Gulfstream Give Wings To Sustainable Business Aviation
• News Of The Day From Rolls-Royce
• First In-flight 100% Sustainable-Fuels Emissions Study Of Passenger Jet Shows Early Promise
• Rolls-Royce Joins Boeing And World Energy For Successful 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel Flight

Several are based on Rolls-Royce press releases.

November 6, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Aviation, Boeing 787, New York, Public Relations, Rolls-Royce, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Virgin Airlines