German aircraft manufacturer Deutsche Aircraft has achieved a significant milestone by successfully conducting the first-ever test flight using 100% synthetic zero aromatics fuel in both engines of its D328 UpLift flying testbed. This groundbreaking flight, which took place on October 9, at Oberpfaffenhofen Airport, marks the first time a CS-25 aircraft has flown exclusively on a fuel chemically identical to Power-to-Liquid (PtL) fuel.
The flight kicks off the CLIM0ART inflight emission measurement campaign, aimed at exploring the climate benefits of 100% zero aromatics PtL fuel. This innovative fuel can be produced using sustainable CO2, renewable energy, and water, potentially reducing CO2 emissions by up to 95% while also minimizing non-CO2 effects.
The CLIM0ART campaign is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) as part of the LuFo-Klima Aviation Research Programme. It is led by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in collaboration with Deutsche Aircraft, with Sasol serving as the contributing fuel partner. Throughout this campaign, the D328 UpLift aircraft will fly in formation with DLR’s Falcon 20E research aircraft, which is equipped with probes to measure emissions from the synthetic fuel and analyse the properties of ice crystals in contrails. Notably, this campaign represents the first time that emissions from a CS-25 turboprop aircraft using fully synthetic fuels will be measured in flight.
Sasol, a leading South African chemical company, supplies the synthetic fuel, produced using the Fischer-Tropsch process on an industrial scale. Although the current fuel is not yet derived from sustainable feedstock—thus labelled “PtL-proxy”—Power-to-Liquid fuels, or e-kerosene, have the potential to aid aviation’s long-term transition to climate neutrality due to their production methods being unbound by feedstock limitations. The absence of aromatics in these fuels can also significantly diminish the warming effects of contrails and enhance air quality at airports.
Nico Neumann, Chief Operations Officer at Deutsche Aircraft, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “The CLIM0ART project is another piece of the puzzle in our holistic approach to optimizing the environmental impact of our aircraft, with the objective of implementing the latest climate science in our D328eco™, which is currently under development. This achievement not only underscores the potential of synthetic fuels but also highlights the significance of the collaboration between industry and research institutions and the support from the German government in driving meaningful change and contributing to the global aviation value chain.”
Regina Pouzolz, Director of Sustainable Flight at Deutsche Aircraft, added, “We want the D328eco to be compatible with zero aromatics PtL produced from renewable and sustainable resources, in addition to any other fuel choice of our customers around the world. I would like to thank the DLR and our fantastic team for their efforts and spirit of collaboration to make this flight happen.”
Dr Markus Fischer, DLR Executive Board Member for Aeronautics, noted, “Sustainable fuels will play an important role in climate-friendly aviation in the future, especially electricity-based fuels for widespread production. I am therefore particularly pleased that our new D328 UpLift research aircraft is the first in the world to fly with such a synthetic aromatics-free fuel in its turboprop engines on its research campaign premiere. With our ‘flying laboratory’ Falcon 20E, we are contributing DLR’s outstanding expertise in measuring emissions and the resulting contrails directly in flight.”
As the D328 UpLift continues its pioneering work, it is poised to play a crucial role in advancing new, climate-friendly systems and fuel technologies. The need for increased PtL production volumes aligns with the mandates of the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation, which requires airlines to utilize a minimum share of e-kerosene by 2030. The scientific findings from the CLIM0ART campaign will help inform policy and support the necessary scale-up of Power-to-Liquid fuels.
Deutsche Aircraft remains committed to innovation, setting a standard for the aviation industry as it moves toward a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.
