Rolls-Royce And Gulfstream Give Wings To Sustainable Business Aviation
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These are the first two paragraphs of the press release.
Rolls-Royce and Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. are leading the way towards sustainable business aviation by conducting the first original equipment manufacturer test flight of an ultralong-range business jet powered by 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The test took place on the BR725-powered Gulfstream G650 twin-jet over Gulfstream’s headquarters in Savannah, Georgia.
Demonstrating that current Rolls-Royce engines for business jet and large civil applications can operate with 100% SAF as a full “drop-in” option, this test lays the groundwork for moving this type of fuel towards certification. At present, SAF is only certified for blends of up to 50% with conventional jet fuel and can be used on all current Rolls-Royce engines.
Note.
- The BR725 is described in this Wikipedia entry.
- The Gulfstream G650 is described in this Wikipedia entry.
- All current Rolls-Royce engines can run with blends of up to 50 % SAF and conventional jet fuel.
The BR725 or other engines in the family have other applications.
- It is used in the Bombardier Global Express.
- It was used in the Boeing 717 airliner.
- The military version of the BR725 will be used to re-engine the USAF’s Boeing B52-H Stratofortresses.
- The Dassault Falcon 10X will be powered by a development of the BR725.
I can certainly see, the owners of business jets being very interested in operating a sustainable business jet.
But would the USAF be interested in running a seventy-year-old bomber on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel?
The Fuel Used In The Test
This paragraph of the press release describes the fuel.
The SAF that was used in the test consists of two components: HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids), produced from waste fat and waste plant oils by low-carbon fuel specialist World Energy in Paramount, California, and (SAK) Synthesised Aromatic Kerosene made from waste plant-based sugars by Wisconsin-based Virent Inc. This innovative and fully sustainable fuel in development eliminates the need for the addition of further petroleum-based components and enables a 100% drop-in SAF that can be used in existing jet engines and infrastructure without any modifications. This sustainable fuel has the potential to reduce net CO2 lifecycle emissions by about 80% compared to conventional jet fuel, with the possibility of further reductions in future.
That sounds impressive.
A Sustainable Airliner
The Boeing 717 is a hundred seat airliner, with about a hundred still in service. They appear to have a good safety record.
One of the operators is Hawaiian Airlines and might be the sort of airline, that would like to decarbonise their flights.
So might we see some airlines using the Boeing 717 on SAF to attract passengers?
I wouldn’t rule it out and after certifying the engine on the Gulfstream, certification on another type wouldn’t be the most demanding of certifications.
I also think, it is quite likely, that an aircraft manufacturer could use engines in the BR 725 family to create a hundred seat sustainable airliner.
Rolls-Royce And easyJet Set New World First
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These three paragraphs explain what the two companies have done and are planning to do.
Rolls-Royce and easyJet today confirmed they have set a new aviation milestone with the world’s first run of a modern aero engine on hydrogen.
The ground test was conducted on an early concept demonstrator using green hydrogen created by wind and tidal power. It marks a major step towards proving that hydrogen could be a zero carbon aviation fuel of the future and is a key proof point in the decarbonisation strategies of both Rolls-Royce and easyJet.
Both companies have set out to prove that hydrogen can safely and efficiently deliver power for civil aero engines and are already planning a second set of tests, with a longer-term ambition to carry out flight tests.
The test today was carried out at Boscombe Down and are shown in this picture from Rolls-Royce.
Rolls-Royce AE2100 Hydrogen Demonstrator engine preparing for test at RAF Boscombe Down
Note that the green hydrogen produced using Orcadian winds and tides.
We live in desperate times and I predict that a hydrogen-fuelled and Rolls-Royce-powered easyJet plane, will fly sooner than anybody thinks.
As with athletes, engineers love to be first!
German Startup EVIA AERO Commits To Hydrogen-Powered Britten-Norman Islanders
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Simple Flying.
These two paragraphs outline the deal.
EVIA AERO has signed a letter of intent with Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) to increase its order for hydrogen modification kits and aircraft. As part of the agreement, the startup airline expects to receive five additional hydrogen modification kits and ten 19-seat aircraft.
The hydrogen modification kits are designed to power the nine-seat Britten-Norman Islander aircraft and come in addition to a previous order with CAeS for 10 kits.
I can remember seeing the Islander prototype at a Farnborough Air Show in the mid-1960s on the BBC with commentary from the iconic Raymond Baxter.
Is Hydrogen The Fuel Of The Future?
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on Engineering and Technology Magazine.
The article is a must read about hydrogen.
Orders For The Eviation Alice Pass US$ 2 Billion
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Eviation.
This is the first paragraph.
Eviation Aircraft, a manufacturer of all-electric aircraft, today announced that the order book for its world-leading nine-seater all-electric Alice airplane has passed a total value of US$ 2 billion.
$2 billion is a tidy sum and I suspect it ensures that they can now concentrate on its certification program on the way to completing Entry into Service (EIS).
It looks like the day, I will fly in an electric aircraft has come closer.
Portugal’s Sevenair Eyes Up To 6 Heart Aerospace ES-30 Electric Aircraft
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Simple Flying.
Some points from the article.
- Sevenair are a Portuguese regional airline.
- Sevenair run several short routes.
- Heart Aerospace has 230 firm orders and a 100 options for the the ES-30.
Heart Aerospace may not have been the first company to fly an electric airliner, but they do seem to be attracting orders.
‘It Was Wonderful’: Eviation’s Alice Electric Airplane Wins Praise After Its First Flight Test
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on GeekWire.
The long-expected first flight of Eviation Alice has happened.
The flight was only a short one and was described like this in the article.
Alice flew for eight minutes and reached a maximum altitude of 3,500 feet before landing safely back at the airport.
There is also a video in this article on Electrek, which is entitled Watch Eviation’s All-Electric Alice Aircraft First Flight.
This is an important milestone in the history of aviation.
American Airlines Orders 60 Overture Supersonic Jets
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Times.
This is the introductory paragraph.
The revival of supersonic passenger travel, thought to be long dead with the demise of Concorde nearly two decades ago, could be about to take wing as American Airlines has put in an order for 60 aircraft capable of flying at 1.7 times the speed of sound.
The aircraft has changed a bit since I wrote about it in United Airlines Eyes A Supersonic Future With Deal To Buy Boom’s Overture Jets, which was posted in June 2021.
- It now has four engines instead of three.
- Speed has now been disclosed as Mach 1.7, which is slower than Concorde’s Mach 2.04.
Boom envisages its first commercial flights in 2029.
ZeroAvia Hydrogen Powered Jets For American Airlines?
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Aviation Source.
The article states that American Airlines will be investing an undisclosed amount into ZeroAvia and that it might use their regional hydrogen-powered aircraft in the United States.
easyJet And Rolls-Royce Pioneer Hydrogen Energy Combustion Technology In H2ZERO Partnership
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These three opening paragraphs outline the project.
easyJet and Rolls-Royce today announced a ground-breaking new partnership, H2ZERO, that will pioneer the development of hydrogen combustion engine technology capable of powering a range of aircraft, including those in the narrow-body market segment.
Both companies have committed to working together on a series of engine tests on the ground, starting later this year and have a shared ambition to take the technology into the air. The objective of the partnership is to demonstrate that hydrogen has the potential to power a range of aircraft from the mid-2030s onwards.
While Rolls-Royce will bring its expertise in engine development and combustion systems, easyJet will contribute its operational knowledge and experience to H2ZERO and will also directly invest in the test programme.
This to my mind is good news.
This paragraph gives details of some of the planned work.
Through H2ZERO, the companies will support an early concept ground test of a Rolls-Royce AE 2100 engine in the UK later this year. This will be followed by a full-scale ground test of a Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 jet engine – a range of location options are being assessed for this including the Rolls-Royce test facility in Mississippi, USA. The programme will build on initial hydrogen combustion and fuel system rig tests that Rolls-Royce is undertaking with both Cranfield and Loughborough universities.
Note.
- The Rolls-Royce AE 2100 engine, powers the Lockheed Super Hercules amongst others.
- Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 powers various business jets.
easyJet and Rolls-Royce certainly have ambitions, and as there is little about the route they are taking to decarbonise, I would assume, that the main purpose of the study, is to find the optimal route.
I have just found this paper on the German Aerospace Centre web site, which is entitled Assessment Of Hydrogen Fuel Tank Integration At
Aircraft Level.
It uses as a baseline aircraft, the Airbus A320neo, of which easyJet have a few!
I suspect that using some of the techniques outlined in this paper, Rolls-Royce could decarbonise an Airbus A320neo.
The Anonymous Widower 