Embraer Aircraft company and the engine manufacturer Pratt and Whitney are in the process of flight testing the use of SAF, {Sustainable Aviation Fuel} as an approved replacement for kerosene-based Jet fuel.
According to Rodger Pridgeon, President of Corporate Air, “Embraer first contacted Corporate Air to see if we would help them with servicing the aircraft and to provide ground, fuel handling and other assorted services to make this process successful while they conducted ground and flight tests using SAF fuels from the Vero Beach Regional Airport.
In order to make this happen in a safe and redundant way we filled one wing with SAF fuel and the other with Jet fuel. (Embraer brought a fuel tanker truck full of SAF fuel to use in the tests.). That way they can observe any variation in performance, temperature, engine thrust, etc from left and right engines.
If any issues arise from the alternate fuel they will still have plenty of performance on the other engine using Jet fuel. According to FAA rules the aircraft had to be placed in an experimental category during this process until they are approved to use SAF fuel or they go back to using the approved Jet fuel for this aircraft. They will perform the first flight-test Monday 27 June 2022.”
Embraer is a Brazilian Aerospace manufacturer with US locations in Ft Lauderdale, Melbourne and Jacksonville.
This is very important in the industry and is important for sustainability initiatives. It really is significant that this testing is being done here in Vero Beach with fueling services and ground support provided by Corporate Air.
Certified as a “Tier 1 Green Business” by the National Air Transportation Association (NATA)
List of Initiatives
Current and Future Efforts
1) Solar Panel Installation on all new construction and retrofit on existing building(s).
2) Experimental Installation of pavement technology demonstrator project.
3) LED Lighting replacement is now complete.
4) Natural Gas installation planned for USCBP UFF garbage disposal unit and will supply the energy source for the standby generator power.
5) Corporate Air is now a member of SABA (Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance) committed to promoting the SAF Industry project.
6) Corporate Air is now certified as aGreen Business; by NATA (National Air Transportation Association).
7) Corporate Air operates all of its customer service vehicles with electric vehicles.
8) Corporate Air is exploring the possibility of powering our fueling trucks with propane systems.
9) Corporate Air recycles all paper and plastic trash.
10) Corporate Air supplies potable water refill stations as a substitute for plastic bottled water.
11) Corporate Air is exploring the possibility of partnering with NetJets and Lilium, a sustainable high-speed regional mobility project utilizing electric VTOL aircraft, to potentially locate a Lilium terminal on part of Corporate Air’s massive 17-acre ramp space. Lilium is creating a chain of these terminals in the Orlando and south Florida area.
12) Statement on PCT ramp project