Rolls-Royce tests Pearl jet engines on 100% SAF

Rolls-Royce inspects engine.

Rolls-Royce announced successful completion of a series of tests with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on its latest generation of business aviation engines, the Pearl 15 and the Pearl 10X.

“SAF are a key element of our sustainability strategy, as they will play an important role in decarbonising long-haul flight. With its outstanding environmental performance, the Pearl family is already setting new standards in the ultra-long-range corporate jet market,” said Dr Dirk Geisinger, director business aviation at Rolls-Royce.

The Pearl 15 powers Bombardier’s Global 5500 and 6500 aircraft, while the Pearl 10X will power Dassault’s ultra-long-range flagship aircraft, the Falcon 10X.

The tests showed that the company’s current engine portfolio for large civil and business jet applications can operate with 100% SAF.

At present, SAF is only certified for blends of up to 50% with conventional jet fuel. Rolls-Royce said that all of its in-production Trent and business aviation engines will be compatible with 100% SAF by the end of 2023.

The tests ran a back-to-back engine performance assessment with both Jet A-1 and SAF on the same Pearl 10X engine to confirm improvements in the environmental footprint when switching to SAF.

The SAF used to fuel the flights was HEFA-SAF produced from waste-based sustainable feedstocks such as used cooking oils and waste fat.