United Airlines became the first airline in the world to operate a passengers flight with one engine running on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The “unprecedented” flight on on a new United 737 MAX 8 carried 100 passengers from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport.
“United continues to lead from the front when it comes to climate change action,” said United CEO Scott Kirby, who was onboard.
“Today’s SAF flight is not only a significant milestone for efforts to decarbonize our industry, but when combined with the surge in commitments to produce and purchase alternative fuels, we’re demonstrating the scalable and impactful way companies can join together and play a role in addressing the biggest challenge of our lifetimes.”
The flight used 500 gallons of SAF in one engine and the same amount of conventional jet fuel in the other engine.
The idea was to prove there are no operational differences between the two and to set the stage for more scalable uses of SAF by all airlines in the future.
Currently, US airlines are only permitted to use a maximum of 50% SAF on board.
The SAF used on the flight is drop-in ready and compatible with existing aircraft fleets.
