Gallery: Aviation Pushes Toward Long-Term Climate Goals

Blue Islands, a Jersey-based regional airline that connects the Channel Islands with the UK and France, has signed a letter of intent with Universal Hydrogen (UH2) to purchase five kits to convert its ATR 72s to hydrogen-electric propulsion. The conditional agreement includes the supply of hydrogen fuel using UH2’s modular capsules. Under a complementary agreement, UH2 and state-owned airport operator Ports of Jersey will collaborate on hydrogen provision, ground handling and storage, operating procedures and regulatory requirements.

Icelandair has conducted its first passenger flight of an electric aircraft onboard a Pipistrel Velis Electro aircraft. Icelandair participated in a landmark event in Icelandic aviation in early September when the company Rafmagnsflug ehf. operated the first commercial flight of an electric airplane in the country. During these flights, the president and the prime minister of Iceland were the first passengers. The two-seater airplane, manufactured in Slovenia, will be used for flight training, but it is also expected that the public will be able to purchase sightseeing flights with this first electric plane in Iceland and experience traveling the skies on a zero-emission plane.

Delta TechOps—the MRO division of Delta Air Lines—recently achieved a major milestone in sustainability efforts by successfully passing-off, or deeming serviceable, a Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine with blended SAF. The test was performed on MRO customer and Delta SkyTeam partner, Virgin Atlantic’s new-generation engine. The blend for this test used a mixture of SAF and conventional jet fuel (JetA) with the SAF component provided by one of Delta’s sustainability partners, Gevo.

Delta Air Lines signed an agreement with startup DG Fuels for the supply of 55 million gal. of SAF per year for seven years beginning in 2027. DG Fuel plans to build the first of a planned 21 North American production sites in Louisiana. Delta has set a goal of fueling 10% of its operations with SAF by the end of 2030, by which time it will need to secure 400 million gal. annually

New Zealand-based cryogenic systems specialist Fabrum and UK fluid systems experts Filton Systems Engineering (FSE) have teamed up with GKN Aerospace to deliver ground-based end-to-end liquid hydrogen (LH2) fuel system infrastructure, including on-site, on-demand LH2 production. Under the UK government-supported H2Gear program, GKN is developing a hydrogen-electric propulsion system that combines liquid hydrogen with a fuel cell system and cryogenically cooled hyperconducting power network and motor drive systems.

Southwest Airlines is the first carrier to bring SAF to operations at Oakland International Airport (OAK). The SAF used in OAK comes from Southwest’s partner Neste, a producer of renewable fuels, and is made from renewable and sustainably sourced raw materials, including used cooking oil and animal waste fat. OAK is the third commercial airport in the US to have SAF incorporated into the daily operations of a major US airline.

International Airlines Group (IAG) signed a multi-year agreement with renewable fuels company Aemetis to supply SAF to help power British Airways and Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus’ flights from San Francisco Airport from 2025. IAG will purchase a total of 78,400 tonnes of SAF over seven years. Aemetis said it has a total of 10 airlines contracts valued at approximately $3.8 billion. Also, Greek flag carrier Aegean Airlines, with the support of its longtime partner Hellenic Petroleum, is powering flights departing from Athens International Airport with an SAF blend.

Singapore Airlines is recycling retired aircraft parts in a partnership with leather and paper gift craftsman Bynd Artisan to create a range of upscaled lifestyle items made using leather from retired business-class seating. Lufthansa has released several collections of exclusive furniture made from old A320s and A340s. Last year, Emirates upcycled parts of its first retired Airbus A380, which was taken to Emirates’ Engineering Center where serviceable components—including engines, landing gears and flight control components were removed. It was then handed over to Falcon Aircraft Recycling which designed and manufactured unique collectibles and retail items from the materials and parts removed from the aircraft.

The Eviation Alice electric regional aircraft is undergoing final preparations for first flight at AeroTEC’s flight test center in Moses Lake, Washington. The 11-seat Alice is powered by a pair of 640-kW Magnix magni650 electric propulsion units. Moving the prototype (pictured) to Moses Lake builds on an existing relationship between engineering services company AeroTEC and electric propulsion pioneer Magnix, which shares an owner, Singapore-based Claremont Group, with Eviation.

Alaska Airlines and UK-based Deloitte agreed to an advance purchase and use of SAF through Alaska’s new corporate SAF program, part of the company’s Ever Green program to advance environmental sustainability. As a participant in the program, Deloitte will reduce the emissions of their business travel with Alaska by approximately 1,050 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Alaska and Deloitte will collaborate on the purchase of SAF certificates, which provide an accounting framework to expand the market for SAF and capture the emissions reduction value for corporate purchasers.

Greece flat carrier Aegean, with the support of its longtime partner Hellenic Petroleum, is moving onwards with its program for a more sustainable future and is able to power its flights departing from Athens International Airport with a SAF blend. Following the first delivery of the airport’s “Hydrant” fueling supply system with SAF, provided by Hellenic Petroleum subsidiary EKO, Aegean has the option to fuel its aircraft departing from its Athens hub with sustainable fuel, while Athens International Airport reduces its carbon footprint and strengthens its position amongst Europe’s greenest airports.