Airbus Begins Flight Test Campaign of A400M Aircraft With Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Airbus Begins Flight Test Campaign of A400M Aircraft With Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

International Military - Airbus has started a flight test campaign of the A400M fueled sustainable aviation (SAF) military transport aircraft. The campaign is being run by the company's A400M program team in collaboration with Airbus' Defense and Space division's Military Air Systems unit.

The first tests were carried out at Airbus' facility at San Pablo in Seville in July. The company said the plane flew more than an hour north of Huelva and returned safely to Seville.

The inaugural test was successful and involved the use of a 29% SAF mixed load on one of the aircraft's engines. Limiting the use of the SAF to one engine allowed the team to analyze the behavior of the fuel system.

The A400M Aircraft Test Flight Campaign With Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Airbus Defense and Space flight test engineer César González said, during the flight, his side made a close comparison between engine number-2, one using SAF, and the other three engines using standard Jet A1 fuel. "So we have a very good opportunity to compare the performance of different fuels," he explained.

The results of these flight tests confirm that the use of mixed SAF does not affect engine or aircraft performance, so the A400M can receive its full potential in terms of environmental benefits.

Further testing validated that the new fuel, which is a blend of 50% SAF certified, is compatible with the A400M aircraft and its TP400-D6 engines.

It is hoped that SAF can become an alternative fuel. SAF can minimize carbon dioxide emissions by up to 85%, compared to traditional fuels.