Pratt & Whitney, Embraer complete 100% SAF flight testing of GTF-powered E195-E2 aircraft

Photo: Pratt & Whitney

Pratt & Whitney and Embraer announced June 30 that they have successfully tested a GTF-powered E195-E2 aircraft on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The test, with one engine running on 100 percent SAF, validated that GTF engines and the E-Jets E2 family can fly on both engines with blends of up to 100 percent SAF without any compromise to safety or performance. The aircraft completed two days of ground tests at Fort Lauderdale International Airport, culminating in a 70-minute flight test at Vero Beach Regional Airport in Florida.

“The E2 is already the most efficient single aisle aircraft flying today, saving up to 25% CO2 emissions compared to previous generation aircraft,” said Rodrigo Silva e Souza, vice president strategy and sustainability at Embraer Commercial Aviation. “This reduction in emissions can be increased up to an impressive 85 percent with 100 percent SAF. Replacement of older aircraft by new-generation products and scaling up SAF production are the two most effective actions commercial aviation can take now to achieve a significant reduction in emissions. Embraer and Pratt & Whitney are leading the industry with products that are more efficient for our customers and more sustainable for our society. This test demonstrates that the E2 is ready for 100 percent SAF certification and operation once the industry finalizes standards.”

All Pratt & Whitney engines and Embraer aircraft are currently certified to operate with SAF blended up to 50 percent with standard Jet A/A1 kerosene, according to ASTM International specifications. Future specifications will enable blends of up to 100 percent SAF to maximize the emissions-reduction potential of using fuel derived from sustainable, nonfossil-based feedstocks.

“SAF is a core part of our sustainability road map, and we continue to work with industry partners and regulators to support the development of a drop-in standard for 100 percent SAF,” said Graham Webb, chief sustainability officer at Pratt & Whitney. “This test proves that GTF engines can operate on any fuel, and that the E-Jets E2 family is ready for 100 percent SAF certification once the industry finalizes the standard for unblended SAF.”

The SAF used by Embraer and Pratt & Whitney was 100 percent hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids synthetic paraffinic kerosine (HEFA-SPK) acquired from World Energy. HEFA-SPK is a specific type of hydrotreated renewable feedstock fuel used in aviation and is considered a leading alternative replacement for conventional jet fuel by the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, due to the sustainability of its feedstock.

The Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine is the only geared-propulsion system delivering industry-leading sustainability benefits and world-class operating costs. It is the exclusive powerplant of the Embraer E-Jets E2 family, which reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions up to 25 percent per seat, NOx emissions by 50 percent and noise footprint by 75 percent. Certified for operation on 50 percent SAF and successfully tested on 100 percent SAF, the engines are capable of even lower carbon emissions, which will help the industry meet its target of net-zero emissions by 2050. The engine’s revolutionary geared fan architecture is the foundation for more sustainable aviation technologies in the decades ahead.