Boeing, NASA, and United Airlines Collaborate to Study Sustainable Aviation Fuel’s Impact on Contrails and Emissions

A new research initiative aims to understand how sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can reduce the environmental impact of aviation by affecting contrails and non-carbon emissions. Boeing, NASA, and United Airlines announced on October 12, 2023, that they are partnering for in-flight testing using a Boeing 737-10 aircraft that will fly with 100% SAF and conventional jet fuel in separate tanks.

Contrails are the persistent condensation trails that form when airplanes fly through cold, humid air. Some studies have suggested that certain types of contrails can trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. The researchers hope to measure how SAF affects the characteristics and formation of contrails, as well as the emissions of non-carbon pollutants such as soot, nitrogen oxides, and water vapor.

The testing will involve NASA’s DC-8 Airborne Science Lab flying behind the Boeing 737-10 and measuring the emissions and ice particles produced by each type of fuel. NASA satellites will also capture images of the contrail development. The project is supported by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, GE Aerospace, the German Aerospace Center, and World Energy, which is supplying SAF for the tests.

The project is part of Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator program, which aims to test various technologies and innovations to improve the sustainability, efficiency, safety, and passenger experience of aviation. Boeing has tested around 250 innovations since 2012 using different aircraft models. The project is also part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight National Partnership, which seeks to advance the use of SAF and other solutions to decarbonize aviation.

SAF is made from a range of sustainably produced feedstocks and can reduce emissions by up to 85% over the fuel’s life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel. SAF is seen as one of the most promising ways to reduce aviation’s carbon footprint and help the industry achieve its goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, aerotime.aero, boeing.mediaroom.com