Deutsche Aircraft flies first large aircraft with 100% synthetic fuel

German OEM Deusche Aircraft became the first company to fly a large aircraft using 100% fully synthetic zero aromatics fuel to both engines when it operated its D328 Uplift flying testbed.

The flight, which took place on 9th October, operated from Oberpfaffenhofen Airport in Germany and used fuel provided by South African chemical company Sasol and is chemically identical to a Power to Liquid (PtL) fuel which can be used to significantly reduce aircraft emissions.

Deutsche Aircraft and Sasol will now investigate the benefits of using 100% zero aromatics PtL to reduce climate impact. PtL can be produced using sustainable CO2, renewable energy, and water in the future, offering the potential to reduce the CO2 balance by up to 95% as well as decreasing non-CO2 effects as part of the CLIM0ART project.

Nico Neumann, Chief Operations Officer at Deutsche Aircraft, remarks: “The CLIM0ART project is another piece of the puzzle in our holistic approach to optimising the environmental impact of our aircraft, with the objective of implementing the latest climate science in our D328eco™, which is currently under development. This achievement not only underscores the potential of synthetic fuels but also highlights the significance of the collaboration between industry and research institutions and the support from the German government in driving meaningful change and contributing to the global aviation value chain.”

In order to produce the fuel Sasol has mastered commercial production of fuel using the Fischer-Tropsch process, a chemical reaction that converts a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons.

Regina Pouzolz, Director of Sustainable Flight at Deutsche Aircraft, added: “We want the D328eco to be compatible with zero aromatics PtL produced from renewable and sustainable resources, in addition to any other fuel choice of our customers around the world. I would like to thank the DLR and our fantastic team for their efforts and spirit of collaboration to make this flight happen.