In-flight measurements from an A350 aircraft using 100% sustainable aviation fuel show a significant reduction in soot particle emissions and formation of contrail ice crystals compared to using conventional aviation fuelResults from the world’s first in-flight study of the impact of using 100% sustainable aviation fuel in both engines of a commercial aircraft show a reduction in soot particles and formation of contrail ice crystals compared to using conventional Jet A-1 fuel.
Global climate model simulations, conducted by DLR, were used to estimate the change in the energy balance in Earth’s atmosphere — also known as radiative forcing — by contrails. The impact of contrails was estimated to be reduced by at least 26% with 100% SAF use compared to the Jet A-1 reference fuel used in ECLIF3.