LONDON – Embraer and Pratt & Whitney have successfully tested a GTF-powered E195-E2 aircraft on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The test, with one engine running on 100% SAF, validated that GTF engines and the E-Jets E2 family can fly on both engines with blends of up to 100% SAF without any compromise to safety or performance.
The aircraft completed two days of ground tests at Fort Lauderdale International Airport. Then E195-E2 done a 70-minute flight test at Vero Beach Regional Airport in Florida.
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 strategy and sustainability, Embraer Commercial Aviation.
Embraer and P&W are leading the industry with products that are more efficient for customers and more sustainable for 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 feedstocks.
The Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine is the only geared propulsion system delivering industry-leading sustainability benefits and world-class operating costs. The Embraer E195-E2 powered by GTF engines represent the most environmentally friendly combination of airframe and engine. It’s delivering the lowest level of noise and emissions.
GTF engines on E195-E2 also offers more than 24 percent better fuel efficiency per seat than the previous generation E195. Pratt & Whitney powers a range of other Embraer aircraft, including the Phenom 300 and 100 series executive jets.
Another addition is the C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft, which uses IAE V2500 engines.
MoU with Pratt & Whitney
Embraer has partnered with Pratt & Whitney last year to conduct a demonstration flight using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The two companies signed an MOU.
This will see Embraer and the U.S.-based engine manufacturer collaborate on studies to support the shared goal of helping the industry reach net zero carbon emissions from air travel by 2050.
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. 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
said Graham Webb, chief sustainability officer at Pratt & Whitney.
Today, standards set by ASTM International, the American Society for Testing and Materials, allow aircraft to fly with SAFs that are up to 50% blended with kerosene. Testing and collaboration between OEMs, like that provided in the new partnership between Embraer and Pratt & Whitney, will help in the process to certify the standard to 100% SAF.
The new partnership is just another example of Embraer’s continuing efforts to bring greater sustainability in commercial aviation. The company recently announced its Energia family of four concept aircraft that use environment-friendly fuels.
It’s a green electricity, hydrogen or hydrogen and SAF in a flexible configuration. Embraer also flew its Electric Demonstrator last August, an aircraft that is 100% electrically powered.
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