Deutsche Aircraft, Pratt & Whitney Canada to ensure 100% SAF readiness for D328eco™
Deutsche Aircraft and Pratt & Whitney Canada have successfully completed a series of test flights using synthetic fuel on a D328® UpLift research aircraft.
This milestone brings the companies closer to ensuring that the next-generation D328eco™ will be ready to operate with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from its entry into service in 2027.
The test flights, conducted as part of the UpLift-CLIM0ART project in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), demonstrated the ability of the D328® UpLift, powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW119B engines, to deliver the same performance and efficiency as with conventional kerosene fuel. The synthetic fuel used was Fischer-Tropsch synthetic paraffinic kerosene (FT-SPK), which serves as a proxy for future Power-to-Liquid (PtL) SAF.
“This test flight is a testament to our shared commitment to enabling more sustainable aviation through the development of more efficient aircraft and enabling alternative fuels,” said Dave Jackson, CEO of Deutsche Aircraft. “To achieve our industry goals, we must enhance collaboration in research and technology while securing strong support from government and energy providers to scale up SAF and PtL production.”
Nico Neumann, COO of Deutsche Aircraft, added, “The successful test flight of the D328® UpLift is a major achievement towards our goal of ensuring that the D328eco is ready to operate with future 100% SAF specifications from the EIS stage. This new capability, along with the overall performance and efficiency of the D328eco and its PW127XT-S engines, will establish new benchmarks in regional aviation.”
“The development of the PW127XT-S for the next-generation Deutsche Aircraft D328eco reflects our shared goal of changing the standards of efficiency and sustainability in the aviation industry, and continues our 40-year-long collaborative relationship,” said Maria Della Posta, president of Pratt & Whitney Canada.
“Our PW127XT engine series delivers unrivalled performance in terms of fuel burn, emissions, and operating economics, and will further drive sustainability by operating with more sustainable aviation fuels, including future specifications for 100% SAF.”
The PW127XT is the most advanced member of Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW100 engine series, which has powered regional turboprop aircraft for forty years. All Pratt & Whitney Canada engines are certified to operate with SAF blended up to 50% with conventional Jet A/A1 kerosene fuel.