Engine manufacturer Williams International announced on Wednesday that it has completed a successful flight test using 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in its FJ44-4 engine. The test flight lasted 3.5 hours with a maximum cruising altitude of FL450. It was conducted out of Williams’ flight operations center in Pontiac, Michigan, using the company’s experimental flying testbed.
“We have shown that Williams’ engines can utilize 100% SAF to decarbonize business aviation,” said Williams International CEO Gregg Williams, who also acted as copilot for the flight test. “The next critical step is to accelerate the production of SAF to make it more widely available and affordable.”
According to the company, it conducted “extensive material compatibility and endurance testing” prior to the test flight, which was captained by Williams’ chief test pilot Robert Lambert. The Williams FJ44-4 turbofan engine weighs 658 pounds and delivers 3,600 lbf thrust. It powers aircraft including the Cessna CitationJet and Pilatus PC-24.
