Rolls-Royce completes testing of 100% SAF on all engines

Rolls-Royce has announced the successful completion of compatibility testing of 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on all its in-production civil aero engine types.

This is a significant milestone in the aviation industry’s efforts to reduce emissions and achieve net zero carbon by 2050.

The company said “a ground test on a BR710 business jet engine at the company’s facility in Canada, completed the test regime. Other engines tested as part of the programme were: Trent 700, Trent 800, Trent 900, Trent 1000, Trent XWB-84, Trent XWB-97, Trent 7000, BR725, Pearl 700, Pearl 15 and Pearl 10X.”

Testing involved a variety of ground and flight tests to replicate in-service conditions. All the tests confirmed the use of 100% SAF does not affect engine performance, it said.

“Becoming the first jet engine manufacturer to publicly confirm all our in-production engines for long-haul aircraft and business jets are compatible with 100% SAF, is an important milestone for both Rolls-Royce and the wider aviation industry,” said Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO, Rolls-Royce.

Virgin Atlantic will later conduct the world’s first transatlantic 100% SAF flight with Rolls Royce’s Trent 1000 engines in Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The return flight, on regular jet fuel, will prove the engine and aircraft can run on either fuel type without engineering changes.