Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. announced the successful completion of its first trans-Atlantic flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a renewable fuel featuring lower carbon, sulfur, and aromatics. According to the company, Gulfstream is the first business jet original equipment manufacturer to fly on 100% SAF.
Completed in November 2023, the Gulfstream G600 aircraft, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW815GA engines, departed Gulfstream’s headquarters in Savannah, Georgia, and landed 6 hours and 56 minutes later at Farnborough Airport in England.
Data collected from the flight will help Gulfstream and its key suppliers gauge aircraft compatibility with renewable aviation fuels, particularly under cold temperatures during extended flights.
"Gulfstream is innovating for a sustainable future," said Mark Burns, President of Gulfstream. "One of the keys to reaching business aviation's long-term decarbonization goals is the broad use of SAF in place of fossil-based jet fuel. The completion of this flight helps to advance business aviation's overarching sustainability mission and create positive environmental impacts for future generations."
The SAF used for Gulfstream’s flight was comprised of 100% Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids, which have 70% lower lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions than fossil-based jet fuels. The fuel also had zero added aromatics and very low sulfur content, reducing the impact on local air quality and reducing the aviation industry’s impact on climate.
Gulfstream’s SAF was produced by World Energy and delivered by World Fuel Services. Other key partners supporting the flight mission include Honeywell, Safran, and Eaton.
