KLM successfully tests aircraft engine running on 100% SAF

KLM has successfully conducted tests that confirm that it is safe to run aircraft engines on 100 per cent SAF. The engine tests were carried out in partnership with engine manufacturer CFM International and fuel producer Neste.

Data analysis has confirmed that 100 per cent SAF can be used safely. The test has generated new data that can be used to set further specifications for SAF. According to KLM, this test is a small, but significant step towards making the airline industry more sustainable.

According to a report in CanadianBiomassMagazine, the test was conducted in KLM Engineering & Maintenance’s test cell at Schiphol-East. The first round of the test was powered using standard fuel and the second using 100 per cent SAF. Extensive inspections and checks were carried out on the engine during and after the test run, with checks of the engine’s pressure and temperature.

SAF is currently approved for use in all aircraft, but only in blends of up to 50 per cent with conventional jet fuel. The use of 100 per cent SAF in aviation has not yet been approved and requires certain specifications, which can only be determined on the basis of extensive research and data. Since January 2022, KLM has been blending in 0.5 per cent SAF for flights departing from Schiphol.