SAF Lowers Contrail Formation by Up to 70%, Says NASA | Aviation International News

Sustainability and Environment

SAF Lowers Contrail Formation by Up to 70%, Says NASA

Research says aircraft burning a 50/50 sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend produce 50 to 70 percent fewer ice crystal contrails at cruising altitude.

Using a 50/50 sustainable fuel blend can reduce contrail formation at cruise altitudes by 50 to 70 percent, according to in-flight research conducted by NASA and Germany's DLR. (Photo: NASA)

By Chad Trautvetter • Online Editor

June 21, 2021

Besides lowering an aircraft’s carbon emissions, using a 50/50 sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blend can also result in 50 to 70 percent fewer ice crystal contrails at cruising altitude, further reducing aviation’s impact on the environment, according to in-flight research by NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Ice crystal contrail formations can linger in the upper atmosphere for hours and affect the way Earth is heated and cooled, NASA said.

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