GTF-Powered E195-E2 Aircraft Completes Tests Using 100% SAF in One Engine

(04 July 2022, 10:57 +07)  Embraer and Pratt & Whitney have successfully tested a GTF-powered E195-E2 aircraft using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in one engine.

The aircraft completed two days of ground tests at Fort Lauderdale International Airport, culminating in a 70-minute flight test at Vero Beach Regional Airport in Florida.

Testing a GTF-powered E195-E2 aircraft using 100% SAF in one engine

“The E2 is already the most efficient single-aisle aircraft flying today, saving up to 25% CO2 emissions compared to previous generation aircraft. This reduction in emissions can be increased up to an impressive 85% with 100% SAF. Replacement of older aircraft by new-generation products and scaling up SAF production are the two most effective actions commercial aviation can take now to achieve a significant reduction in emissions,” said Rodrigo Silva e Souza, vice president of strategy and sustainability, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “Embraer and Pratt & Whitney are leading the industry with products that are more efficient for our customers and more sustainable for our society. This test demonstrates that the E2 is ready for 100% SAF certification and operation once the industry finalizes standards.”

All Pratt & Whitney engines and Embraer aircraft are currently certified to operate with SAF blended up to 50% with standard Jet A/A1 kerosene, according to ASTM International specifications.

Future specifications will enable blends of up to 100% SAF to maximize the emissions reduction potential of using fuel derived from sustainable, non-fossil-based feedstock.

“SAF is a core part of our sustainability road map, and we continue to work with industry partners and regulators to support the development of a drop-in standard for 100% SAF,” said Graham Webb, chief sustainability officer at Pratt & Whitney. “This test proves that GTF engines can operate on any fuel, and that the E-Jets E2 family is ready for 100% SAF certification once the industry finalizes the standard for unblended SAF.”

The SAF used by Embraer and Pratt & Whitney was 100% Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosine (HEFA-SPK) acquired from World Energy.

HEFA-SPK is a specific type of hydrotreated renewable feedstock fuel used in aviation and is considered a leading alternative replacement for conventional jet fuel by the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), due to the sustainability of its feedstock.

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