Bell has revealed that a Bell 505 has completed its first flight fuelled by 100% SAF making it the first single-engine helicopter to do so. Bell is working with Safran as well as Neste, GKN Aerospace and Virent on its sustainable fuel projects.
While the chemistry is complex, the 100% SAF challenge centres on the creation of plant-sugar-based aromatics, which negate the need for the SAF fuel to be blended with petrochemical fuel. Virent manufactures an aromatics component made from plant-based renewables, which when added to the bio-based SAF, negates the need for petrochemical elements. Critically the team say that the SAF created by Neste and Virent is a “100% drop-in replacement” for petroleum-based jet fuels which requires no engine modifications.
Commenting on the flight, Micheal Thacker, Bell’s EVP of Commercial Business, said: “This flight is a monumental achievement for sustainability and decarbonisation in the rotorcraft industry.” Meanwhile. Valentin Safir, EVP of Programs, Safran Helicopter Engines, said: “SAF is one of the key pillars in our strategy to decarbonise the helicopter industry. Our engines are certified to operate on up to 50% SAF and our objective is to certify in the coming years the use of 100% SAF, which could result in carbon lifecycle emissions reductions by up to 80%.”
