German OEM Deutsche Aircraft made history by becoming the first company to fly a large aircraft using 100% fully synthetic, zero-aromatic fuel in both engines. The test flight was conducted on October 9th, with their D328 Uplift flying testbed, operating from Oberpfaffenhofen Airport in Germany. The fuel, provided by South African chemical company Sasol, is chemically equivalent to Power-to-Liquid (PtL) fuel, which holds the potential for significantly reducing aircraft emissions.
Deutsche Aircraft and Sasol are now exploring the benefits of using 100% zero-aromatic PtL to minimize climate impact. PtL can be produced in the future using sustainable CO2, renewable energy, and water, potentially reducing the CO2 footprint by up to 95% while also lowering non-CO2 emissions under the CLIM0ART project.
Nico Neumann, Chief Operations Officer at Deutsche Aircraft, remarks: “The CLIM0ART project is another piece of the puzzle in our holistic approach to optimising the environmental impact of our aircraft, with the objective of implementing the latest climate science in our D328eco™, which is currently under development. This achievement not only underscores the potential of synthetic fuels but also highlights the significance of the collaboration between industry and research institutions and the support from the German government in driving meaningful change and contributing to the global aviation value chain.”
Sasol’s expertise lies in the Fischer-Tropsch process, which converts carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons, enabling the production of this synthetic fuel.
Regina Pouzolz, Director of Sustainable Flight at Deutsche Aircraft, added: “We want the D328eco to be compatible with zero aromatics PtL produced from renewable and sustainable resources, in addition to any other fuel choice of our customers around the world. I would like to thank the DLR and our fantastic team for their efforts and spirit of collaboration to make this flight happen.
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