A rescue helicopter flew for the first time using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), reaching a new milestone in the history of international aviation. Operated by ADAC Luftrettung, a German non-profit organization, the H145 had a refueling ceremony for its Arriel 2E engines with biofuel, a type of SAF, at the air rescue station of the Harlaching Clinic, in Munich, which was attended by the corps director of the ADAC Foundation, as well as the managing directors and senior management of ADAC Luftrettung, engine manufacturer Safran Helicopter Engines, Airbus Helicopters and energy company TotalEnergies. Together, the companies will drive decarbonization in helicopter flights, developing alternatives to conventional fuels.
The H145 used second-generation biofuel – the type of SAF chosen by the aviation industry – which reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to its fossil equivalent, thanks to its production based on waste from the circular economy, such as grease and oil. used kitchen. As a result, the fuel has no impact on agricultural food production.
The fuel used for the first flight of the rescue helicopter in Munich was manufactured by TotalEnergies at its facilities in and produced using used cooking oil, without the addition of any other plant oil. With this SAF, the ADAC Luftrettung fleet will be able to achieve a 33% reduction in CO2 emissions, which is equivalent to an average reduction of 6 thousand tons of gas, considering the more than 3.3 million kilometers traveled per year with its more than 50 thousand rescue missions.
The German organization and engine manufacturer Safran Helicopter Engines share the same goal of contributing to the development of sustainable aviation fuel. To this end, they are launching a project with an ADAC rescue helicopter in Cologne, , which will study all aspects of the use of biofuel in the H145, which will have an operational campaign in the European summer of this year.
After the ceremony, the directors of ADAC Luftrettung and Safran Helicopter Engines, Frédéric Bruder and Franck Saudo signed a long-term agreement for the SAF, which envisages increasing the biofuel blending ratio to up to 100% in the coming years and thereafter also promote the use of synthetic e-fuel, also known as Power-to-Liquid (PTL), a drop-in alternative to fossil fuels. PTL refers to the generation of liquid fuels produced from electricity from renewable sources, which, together with the use of biofuels, will allow the aviation industry to approach climate neutrality.
The biofuel is currently certified and approved for use in aviation in a maximum blend of 50 percent with conventional kerosene of the JET-A1 type. The ADAC rescue helicopter flew with a 40% match.
Dr. Andrea David, CEO of the ADAC Foundation, to which ADAC Luftrettung belongs, says: “For us, the sustainable aviation fuel pilot project is the first major step on the way to an ADAC Foundation and climate-neutral air rescue service, and our contribution, as a not-for-profit organization, to achieving 's and Europe's climate protection goals.”
“We want to be a pioneer in reducing CO2 in emergency medical services with eco-friendly kerosene. This means that we must also technologically develop air rescue so that the use of SAF is perennial. For this, we have strong partners on our side”, adds Frédéric Bruder, Managing Director of ADAC Luftrettung. “Importantly, SAF is an officially approved fuel, which means that flight and patient safety remains at the highest standards.”
Franck Saudo, CEO of Safran Helicopter Engines, explains: “Safran is leading the engine industry's efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from helicopters. Along with this historic first flight, we signed an agreement with ADAC Luftrettung to expand the use of SAF in their fleet of helicopters powered by our engines. All Safran engines are certified to operate on up to 50% sustainable fuel, including biofuel, and our goal is to achieve 100%.”
Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said: “Pioneering in sustainable aerospace is a clear objective for Airbus and enabling the use of sustainable aviation fuel is an important milestone for our industry. Today's event is the first step towards reinforcing Airbus Helicopters' ambition to have the lowest CO2 emitting product range in the world.”
Christian Cabrol, Director of TOTAL Deutschland GmbH, concluded by saying that “TotalEnergies has set itself the goal of achieving zero net emissions from society by 2050. By developing biofuels, we are helping our customers in the aviation industry to reduce their carbon intensity. of the energy products they use. Our sustainable aviation fuel can be used without any modification to the logistical storage and distribution infrastructure and therefore also directly in aircraft and helicopters. We are experiencing this in practice today. Last March, we successfully started production of sustainable aviation fuels in , which were already used for a long-haul flight between Paris and Montreal two weeks ago, and we will soon make them available to our German customers.”
