Aviation

COMAC C919 and ARJ21 completes first SAF Flight

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Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) has successfully completed a demonstration flight, where the C919 and ARJ21 both flew on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for the first time.

The two flights departed from Shanghai-Pudong International Airport and Dongying Airport in Shandong Province, demonstrating what COMAC calls ‘good flight performance on Sustainable Aviation Fuel’. Both demonstration flights lasted approximately 1 hour. Both aircrafts were fueled with a 60% No 3 Jet Fuel and a 40% bio-aviation Kerosene developed by Chinese oil company Sinopec.

COMAC's ARJ21 Aircraft being refuelled with SAF for its first flight on SAF

The flights were significant for COMAC, which has been vying to gain a foothold into the highly competitive commercial aircraft market, heavily dominated by the Boeing-Airbus duopoly. Furthermore, most aircrafts which are in service with airlines have been rated to be able to fly on a blend of SAF. These flights would therefore be the first step in the C919 and ARJ21 aircraft’s SAF certification, closing the technological gap between the C919 and the A320/B737 aircraft family.

On a domestic level, this also marks a step in China’s Carbon neutrality goals, with the integration of SAF playing a part in lowering the CO2 emissions, which is one of the goals. In a statement marking this historic moment, COMAC mentioned ‘COMAC has been developing its aircraft with sustainability in mind, so as to develop an environmentally friendly aircraft’.

What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel?

SAF is known as a ‘green fuel’, due to its ability to reduce up to 80% in carbon emissions, relative to the ‘standard’ jet fuels in use today. This is especially important as air travel is projected to increase significantly by approximately 4.3% over the next 20 years, so as to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry. Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) can be produced from multiple sources, such as waste oil and fats, green and municipal waste, and non-food crops. SAF could also be produced synthetically by capturing carbon (in the form of gases) from the air.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.