At the Dubai Airshow last month, Julien Manhes, Head of Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Carbon Dioxide Removal at Airbus, sat down with SimpliFlying CEO Shashank Nigam to discuss how the aircraft manufacturer is tackling decarbonisation: from sustainable aviation fuels to hydrogen propulsion and the ecosystems needed to make both a reality.
The multiple levers approach
At Airbus, Manhes oversees both sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) — two areas increasingly seen as complementary in aviation’s decarbonisation effort. Internally, Airbus frames this challenge through what it refers to as a “lasagna chart”, a layered view of decarbonisation that combines multiple levers rather than relying on a single solution.
“We need to use all levers,” Manhes explains. “First, we need to fly the most fuel-efficient aircraft. Then we prepare for the next generation. After that come the two other major contributors, what we internally call the lasagna chart, which are SAF and CDR.”
So why bring SAF and CDR together? “There’s a lot in common between SAF and CDRs,” he says. “In both cases, it’s a new industry trying to emerge, with new stakeholders and a strong need for regulation.”
Two paths to 100% SAF
Airbus has committed to making its aircraft 100% SAF-compatible by 2030. The company is pursuing two avenues to get there.
The first is drop-in fuel: a blend that works with existing aircraft without any modification to aircraft or infrastructure. “We are working on a fuel specification for the 100% drop-in SAF,” says Manhes. “We hope that the specification will be available in the next couple of years.”
The second path is more ambitious. Airbus has been testing non-drop-in fuels, specifically neat synthetic paraffinic kerosene (SPK), which lacks the aromatic molecules found in conventional jet fuel.
“We flew almost all the aircraft in our portfolio with that neat SAF, and we gained many learnings about what that actually means,” Manhes notes. “Fuel density is different. Conductivity is different. Viscosity is different. A lot of fuel properties have changed. We are still working on what a specification for a non-drop-in SAF would be.”
Hydrogen: still in the game
Despite a reset to the ZEROe timeline, Airbus remains committed to hydrogen propulsion. “For us, hydrogen remains a very promising pathway to produce an aircraft that would ultimately not emit any CO2 when flying,” says Manhes.
The challenge, he stresses, goes well beyond the aircraft itself. Airports, hydrogen production, and supporting logistics all need to mature in parallel. “We realised that this ecosystem wasn’t ready yet,” he acknowledges, underscoring the need to align aircraft development with the wider hydrogen ecosystem.
Building momentum, from ecosystems to demand
Manhes points back to the A380 program as an early lesson in the importance of systems thinking and why ecosystem development is essential for the adoption of new technologies. While Airbus could design and build the new A380 aircraft, airports also had to adapt and introduce infrastructure changes to accommodate the new aircraft. “We learned through the A380 experience that we can build aircraft, but we need to work with others,” he says.
With SAF, that challenge is even more complex still. The ecosystem spans fuel producers, logistics providers, airports, airlines, and those ultimately claiming the emissions benefit. “What we’re doing here is unique,” Manhes observes. “There’s no magic recipe. What works in other industries may not work for aviation.”
Airbus also purchases SAF for internal operations and business travel and has partnered with airlines, including easyJet, to support voluntary SAF programmes. For Manhes, these corporate purchases play a critical role in signalling demand to fuel producers.
“When you fly to a conference, try to buy SAF,” he says. “You don’t need to go big. You can start with 1%, 2%, or 5%. One gallon at a time, we can make the SAF transition a reality.”
The Middle East opportunity
Manhes is optimistic about the Gulf region’s potential to become a global SAF hub. “The region is remarkable in its ability to go fast and go big,” he says. With abundant renewable energy and a track record of rapid deployment, “if there is one place where eSAF in particular could be produced and at a lower cost, it is in the [Middle East] region.”
That confidence is reinforced by concrete examples. In 2023, Emirates operated what was, at the time, a highly innovative A380 test flight using 100% drop-in SAF on one engine, an experience Manhes says delivered valuable technical learnings for Airbus. He also points to less visible but equally important trials, including a methanol-to-jet test flight carried out on an Airbus helicopter in 2023 during COP28 in Dubai.
Taken together, Manhes’ message is pragmatic. Decarbonising aviation will not hinge on a single technology or breakthrough, but on coordinated progress across fuels, aircraft, infrastructure, and demand. The challenge is complex, but as Manhes makes it clear, progress is already underway.
This interview was made possible by CAE, whose commitment to sustainable aviation training and innovation continues to support the industry’s journey towards decarbonisation.
