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After successfully running the engine of a Boeing 777-300ER on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Emirates operated the first demonstration flight of the aircraft powered solely by SAF.
The flight happened on January 30, 2023, as the Boeing 777-300ER, registered A6-EBM, took off and landed at Dubai International Airport (DXB) following a 42-minute flight, according to the data tracked by flightradar24.com.
Fully powered by SAF, it was the first flight of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, according to Emirates. Currently, flights are allowed to carry fuel blend containing 50% SAF and 50% regular aviation fuel.
“This flight is a milestone moment for Emirates and a positive step for our industry as we work collectively to address one of our biggest challenges – reducing our carbon footprint,” commented Adel Al Redha, the Chief Operating Officer at Emirates. “It has been a long journey to finally see this demonstration 100% SAF flight take off.”
Meanwhile, the engine test happened on January 23, 2023. Then, the DXB-based carrier ran through a comprehensive test program that involved starting the two engines with an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) that also ran on 100% SAF, idle, take-off, and climb settings at full-flight profile durations, and a 15-minute simulation of cruise altitude operations.