#Sustainability20: Aerospace Industry To Collaborate On 100% SAF Compatibility & More
#Sustainability20: Aerospace Industry To Collaborate On 100% SAF Compatibility & More
Weekly Roundup - 31/05/24
Each Friday, we publish a round-up of the 20 most important stories on sustainable aviation. You can see previous editions of #Sustainability20 here.
Industry Updates
The International Aerospace Environmental Group has formed a working group to evaluate technical issues regarding the compatibility of 100% sustainable aviation fuel with airplane systems.
A report from the Institute for Public Policy Research reveals that the richest 0.1% of people in Britain are responsible for 22 times more transport-related greenhouse gas emissions than low earners.
A consumer class action lawsuit accuses Delta Air Lines of making false and misleading claims about being the "first carbon-neutral airline on a global basis."
Cirium has introduced Emerald Sky, an independent analytical tool that analyses each flight's specific aircraft type, design specifications, and real-time operational data to achieve unmatched precision in measuring current and forecasted CO2 emissions.
CLIMATE WATCH: Climate Change Added a Month’s Worth of Extra-Hot Days in Past Year - The New York Times
Human-induced climate change has caused the average person on Earth to experience 26 more days of abnormally high temperatures over the past year.
Infrastructure and operational efficiencies
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport has become the first airport in India to achieve zero waste-to-landfill recognition from the CII-ITC Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Fulcrum BioEnergy, a clean-fuels pioneer that raised over $1 billion to turn household waste into lower-emitting fuels, is in danger of going under after layoffs and halted operations.
Vietnam Airlines operated its first flight using Neste MY SAF, becoming the first airline in Vietnam's history to utilise SAF for commercial passenger flights.
London Oxford Airport now offers SAF blends of 30% or 10%, with several locally based Formula One racing teams lobbying for the renewable fuel's availability.
Little to no ethanol will qualify for US SAF subsidies under a new pilot program that toughened climate requirements at the last minute.
Avfuel will establish permanent supplies of SAF at three airports in France, including Paris Le Bourget Airport, ahead of the Paris Summer Olympic Games.
Neste has expanded its capability to supply SAF to customers in Europe by commissioning terminal capacity at VTTI's ETT terminal in Rotterdam for storage and blending.
New technology: Electric and Hydrogen
A new hybrid-electric aircraft, the first ever to be able to recharge its batteries in flight, has been tested in the UK by the University of Cambridge.
Startup Beyond Aero is transitioning from its completed demonstrator flight-test program to developing an 8-10-passenger business aircraft powered by hydrogen, aiming for service around 2030.
The FAA issued final airworthiness criteria for Archer Aviation's Midnight Model M001 eVTOL air taxi, making it only the second eVTOL to achieve that regulatory milestone in the US.
Lilium has partnered with vertiport operator UrbanV and Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur to launch air taxi flights in the south of France as early as 2026.
Electra's hybrid-electric technology demonstrator aircraft has established its short takeoff and landing credentials in test flights, taking off in less than 170 feet and landing with a ground roll under 114 feet.
VoltAero's first flight of its full-scale Cassio 330 hybrid electric aircraft is on track for the end of this year, but initially using only the thermal engine.
AURA AERO and Airbus Protect have signed a cooperation agreement to support the certification of ERA, AURA AERO's next regional transport 19-seater hybrid-electric aircraft.
Archer Aviation and KakaoMobility signed an agreement for the planned purchase of up to 50 Midnight eVTOL aircraft and to partner for joint participation in the K-UAM Grand Challenge in Korea.
Dufour Aerospace is partnering with Loft Dynamics to develop the first VR eVTOL aircraft simulator, which will be used to train future pilots of the hybrid-electric eight-seat Aero3 eVTOL aircraft.