The United Kingdom's Royal Air Force (RAF), alongside industry partners including Airbus and Rolls-Royce, have carried out the world's first 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) flight using an operational military aircraft. The flight took place using an RAF Voyager, the military variant of the Airbus A330 commercial jetliner, and marked the first 100% SAF flight of any aircraft type carried out in UK airspace.

The mission was a joint endeavor between the RAF, aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the UK Ministry of Defence's Defence Equipment and Support agency, British aircraft leasing company AirTanker and engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, with the fuel supplied by Air bp. Senior RAF, Ministry of Defence (MoD), and industry representatives were on hand to witness the event, with British Defence Minister Baroness Goldie expressing her excitement for the moment:

"The Royal Air Force has flown the UK’s first military air transport flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel on one of their operational Voyager aircraft. They should be rightly proud of this achievement; it is a breakthrough moment for the RAF and an exciting development for the MOD.

"Through the RAF’s pioneering spirit, expertise and partnership with UK industry, British science and engineering is leading the way in improving operational resilience and developing future operating capability in a climate-changed world."

The RAF flies 10 Voyagers in total, including one with a particularly patriotic paint scheme used for state visits worldwide.

90 minutes with no fossil fuels

On Wednesday, the groundbreaking flight departed RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, England, powered entirely by 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel on both engines. A combined RAF, Rolls-Royce, and Airbus flight test crew flew the aircraft for the test mission.

The demonstration flight took approximately 90 minutes and replicated an air-to-air refueling sortie, a vital and common mission for Air Forces worldwide. The RAF said the mission demonstrated the potential for its future operational capability, ensuring the ability to contribute to UK defense wherever and whenever, as the RAF hurtles towards its goal of being Net Zero by 2040. Experimental test pilot and Captain of the flight, Jesus Ruiz, confirmed the flight went smoothly:

“From the crew perspective, the SAF operation was ‘transparent’, meaning that no differences were observed operationally. The Test Plan was exhaustive and robust and has allowed us to compare SAF with JET1 culminating in a flight without a single drop of fossil fuel.

"Teamwork was a key contributor, harmonsing experience from Airbus, Rolls-Royce and the RAF. We feel very proud to be a small part of this huge step for sustainable aviation.”

The mission is a part of the Government's Net Zero 2050 goal and Jet Zero Strategy, which includes plans for the RAF's first Net Zero airbase by 2025.

Want to know more about sustainability in aviation?

SAF on the rise

Sustainable Aviation Fuel reduces lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to the conventional fuel it replaces, with the SAF used on the flight made from used cooking oil. The RAF seeks to reduce its reliance on global supply chains and improves operational resilience by reducing the necessity for fuel resupplying.

SAF, created from waste-based sustainable feedstocks, is one of several approaches currently being researched by the MoD, which found that different approaches will suit other platforms and environments. Resulting in a range of alternative fuel options being looked at to ensure the UK is at the forefront of this developing technology.

Engineers from Airbus' Commercial Aircraft and Defence and Space divisions worked with the RAF, Rolls-Royce, and Airtanker to test the aircraft's performance and handling on the ground and in the air in preparation for the final flight with both engines powered by 100% SAF. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston, highlighted just how vital the flight was to meeting climate objectives:

"Climate change is a transnational challenge that threatens our resilience, our security and our collective prosperity. That is why I have set the RAF the ambitious challenge of becoming the world’s first net-zero Air Force by 2040. The way we power our aircraft will be key to meeting that challenge and the RAF is already thinking about how we will operate beyond fossil fuels.

"This exciting trial flight of a Voyager from RAF Brize Norton powered entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel is an important milestone on that journey, and marks another technological first for the RAF alongside our industry partners."

Wednesday's success follows The RAF and Zero Petroleum obtaining a Guinness World Record for the world's first successful flight using only synthetic fuel last November. The Ikarus C42 microlight aircraft completed a short flight powered by 15 liters of synthetic gasoline at Cotswold Airport.

The synthetic UL91 fuel is manufactured by extracting hydrogen from water and carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is then put under pressure, and an electric current is run through it.