VIVAERO

Bell 505 flew exclusively on sustainable aviation fuel

A Bell 505 helicopter made a flight fueled exclusively by sustainable aviation fuel, being the first single-engine rotary wing to do so, yesterday (21), in the United States.

SAF was made with used cooking oil and other bio-based raw materials, blended with an aromatic component made from renewable plant sugars. "This flight is a monumental achievement for sustainability and decarbonization in the helicopter industry," said Bell Executive Vice President of Commercial Business Michael Thacker.

Bell's own fleet of training and demonstration aircraft currently use sustainable fuel in their operations. The manufacturer said it is guiding customer conversations around its implementation and monitors SAF testing in a dedicated unit with Safran Helicopter Engines, the engine manufacturer.

The Bell 505 helicopter is a five-seat aircraft, using a fully integrated Garmin G1000H NXi avionics suite and a Safran Arrius 2R engine with a dual-channel Fadec.