Flight tests beginning in early 2026 will evaluate whether targeted use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can prevent contrail formation on specific routes, in a UK‑backed demonstrator led by Rolls‑Royce with British Airways and support from the Aerospace Technology Institute.
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Briefing
The programme directly probes SAF's potential to reduce contrail formation and other non‑CO2 climate forcing — a distinct emissions vector that current CO2‑focused metrics do not capture.
Practical deployment will be constrained by supply: EASA found SAF accounted for just 0.6% of fuel uplift at EU airports, underscoring the gap between technical potential and available volumes.
Results will feed commercial decisions on offtake, routing and investment as OEMs and carriers increasingly pour capital into SAF projects to protect fleet economics and spur supply.
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Rolls‑Royce and British Airways launch SAF trial to assess reduction of contrail climate impacts • aerospaceglobalnews.com
Rolls-Royce to lead UK project to optimise sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) use • worldairnews.co.za
FlightGlobal
• Dominic Perry