A lifelong aviation enthusiast who joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in 2007, Curt came to&nbsp;the publication&nbsp;from the broadcast industry where he was a national science and technology television reporter and producer. He writes on the FBO field, aviation finance, and sustainable aviation and occasionally contributes to&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;sister publication&nbsp;Business Jet Traveler. Curt was a member of the AINtv reporting staff that won the 2008 Aerospace Journalist of the Year award for Best Airshow Daily. That same year, he was a finalist for another AJOYA award. He earned an AJOYA for Best Business Aviation Submission in 2018 and was a finalist in that category in 2021. He received the National Air Transportation Association’s&nbsp; Aviation Journalist Award in 2012 and won a Pegasus Sapphire Business Aviation Award for outstanding journalism in 2021.
Before joining AIN, Curt worked with&nbsp;Consumer Reports’ television division, CRTV, and for several local television news staffs. An honors graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University in 1995. Curt lives in New York State with his wife and two young sons.

Senior Editor

Curt Epstein

Embraer Executive Jets recently conducted flight tests on two of its aircraft using 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The Brazilian airframer flew its demonstrator Phenom 300E and its prototype Praetor 600 at its U.S. headquarters in Melbourne, Florida, at the end of September after a year of preparations.
As a safety measure, both of the twinjets—which have separate fuel tanks supplying each engine—flew with one engine running on conventional jet-A while the other used unblended SAF.
“That’s one of the reasons that we did it on the 300 and 600 and not on the 100,” explained Alvadi Serpa Jr., the manufacturer’s director of product strategy and competitive intelligence. “On the 100, we don’t have the ability to segregate the left from the right side, so the day we go for the 100, it's going to be all in."
The logistics for the test involved many industry partners, according to Serpa Jr. The fuel was produced by World Energy in Paramount, California, and delivered by World Fuel Services. Embraer was required to purchase an entire refueler load of approximately 8,000 gallons.
This necessitated special permission from the Melbourne Airport Authority to bring it on the field because the 100 percent SAF—which is not yet approved by ASTM—is technically classified as a chemical product, not a fuel. “We got the fuel in the June, July timeframe in Melbourne," Serpa Jr. told AIN, adding that it was required to rent a pair of fuel tankers for the test—“one to work as a reservoir to hold the fuel before using it in the airplane and then another one for defueling so we wouldn’t mix the products.”
One of the noted drawbacks of 100 percent SAF, and the primary reason it requires blending with conventional jet fuel, is its lack of aromatic compounds. These are needed to help seals in the fueling system swell and eliminate leakage. Serpa- Jr. noted that the trucks—which had previously held jet-A but were cleaned thoroughly before receiving the SAF—began to leak, requiring the company to replace all the O-rings in the valves prior to the test program.
For the tests, Embraer also partnered with the engine makers for both aircraft (Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada in the case of the Phenom 300E, and Honeywell for the Praetor 600) and the respective fuel systems providers (Safran and Parker). “They engaged and accepted the challenge and became real partners in the venture, which made the process much easier,” said Serpa-Junior.
The first phase of the campaign was ground testing, after which the fuel systems were flushed with jet-A and the O-rings were replaced. After no objections were raised, phase two of flight testing was accomplished, with the seals and valves again replaced.
“All removed parts were sent to the engineers and labs for examination,” stated Serpa Jr. “That’s ongoing because it has been only two or three weeks now, and we hope to have the results in the near term.”
In the meantime, he believes the test was a success. “We are confident that the fuel will work, because of the feedback we got from the pilots,” he said, adding that they were very satisfied with the performance of the airplane. “They did not see any change in performance, they didn’t see any degradation whatsoever, so it was positive.”
Serpa Jr. concluded with a prediction: "I think there will be a day when we’re going to have [100 percent SAF] approved with an ASTM stamp, and then it's going to be just another fuel."

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

Embraer 100% SAF Tests Presented Challenges but Are Deemed a Success

The test flights involved a year of preparation and many partnerships

At the end of September, Embraer tested two of its aircraft to see how they performed on unblended SAF.

Embraer 100% SAF Tests Presented Challenges

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Reporting system for new European Union requirements begins on March 1

EU’s Fuel Tankering Rules Are Tough for Bizav Operators

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Early commitments to new program come from business aircraft operators Comlux and Luxaviation

Airbus Customers Get Easier Access to SAF Book-and-claim

Amy Wilder

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Ten-year deal brings fuel operations changes  

Platinum, World Fuel Expand Gold Coast Fuel Partnership

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

UK government consultation on revenue certainty mechanism

Jet Fuel Suppliers Could Pay for UK SAF Pricing Mechanism

Successful HVO and SAF production tests pave way for energy transition

MOL Group Advances SAF Production with Slovnaft Test

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

NBAA-BACE 2023

In this article

Embraer Executive Aircraft

More In Fuel

EU’s Fuel Tankering Rules Are Tough for Bizav Operators

Reporting system for new European Union requirements begins on March 1

Airbus Customers Get Easier Access to SAF Book-and-claim

Early commitments to new program come from business aircraft operators Comlux and Luxaviation

Platinum, World Fuel Expand Gold Coast Fuel Partnership

Ten-year deal brings fuel operations changes

Jet Fuel Suppliers Could Pay for UK SAF Pricing Mechanism

UK government consultation on revenue certainty mechanism

MOL Group Advances SAF Production with Slovnaft Test

Successful HVO and SAF production tests pave way for energy transition

SAFII Created To Unite SAF Stakeholders in Aviation

Organization to offer technical expertise and networking

EBAA Demands Clear Plan for SAF Book-and-claim in Europe

Accounting process could help to speed up adoption of sustainable aviation fuel, says coalition

Ammonia Proposed as Fuel Source for Airport and Aircraft Power

Catalsys says on-site fuel production could more efficiently support electric power distribution

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN