Emirates, GE Aviation seal MoU to test flight with 100% sustainable fuel

Emirates, GE Aviation seal MoU to test flight with 100% sustainable fuel

Ms. Kathy MacKenzie, President & CEO, GE Aviation Commercial Engines & Sir Timothy Clark, President of Emirates, signing the MoU.

Emirates, UAE’s largest airline, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GE Aviation, the world’s leading aircraft engine supplier, to develop a program to conduct a test flight using 100 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by the end of next year.

The milestone agreement between Emirates and GE Aviation will conduct a test flight with Emirates Boeing 777-300ER, powered by GE90 engines and it is expected to demonstrate how the widebody commercial aircraft using jet fuel made from alternative sources can lower lifecycle CO2 emissions compared to petroleum-based fuels with no operational issues.

The demonstration flight also supports both companies’ broader efforts to reduce CO2 emissions as the industry looks to scale up its use of SAF. Currently, SAF approved for use is a blend of petroleum-based Jet A or Jet A-1 fuel and a SAF component with a maximum blend limit of 50 percent. 

Emirates will work closely with regulators to secure approvals for experimental type certification, and will also coordinate with the airframe, Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) on pre-and post-flight requirements, in addition to closely working