Emirates ground tests 777-300ER with 100% SAF, flight next
Emirates 777 being fuelled with SAF
Emirates has completed GE90 engines ground engine testing using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The engine powers the Boeing 777-300ER.
The airline was analysing whether the 100% SAF would affect performance or maintenance. It plans to start flight testing one engine this week.
The ground testing took place at the Emirates Engineering Centre in Dubai. Emirates also ran the aircraft’s Honeywell 331-500 auxiliary power unit (APU) on 100% SAF. The APU was then put under full load with SAF to start the engines.
Emirates, GE Aerospace and Boeing signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Dubai Airshow 2021 to conduct 100% SAF test flights on a GE90 powered 777-300ER.
The airline has has been working GE Aerospace, Boeing, Honeywell, Neste and Virent (part of Marathon Petroleum Corp) throughout 2022 on SAF blend testing.
Emirates’ first blended SAF flight was in 2017 when a 777 flew from Chicago O’Hare. Emirates flew its first A380 powered by SAF in December 2020. The airline uplifted 32 tonnes of SAF for its flights from Stockholm in 2020 using Swedavia’s SAF Incentive Programme. Flights from Oslo often use SAF.
Emirates is on the Steering Committee of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Clean Skies for Tomorrow initiative. The airline also advised the UAE government’s SAF roadmap and the WEF-supported Power-to-Liquids Roadmap for the UAE