China's C919 plane carries out first flight using sustainable fuel

With 129 passengers onboard, China's first self-developed narrow-body jet C919 conducted its first commercial flight powered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Beijing Daxing International Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport on Thursday, according to China Eastern Airlines.

The Beijing Daxing-Shanghai Hongqiao flight is among the four routes in which China Eastern plans to operate SAF-powered commercial flight trials from Sept 19 to Dec 31. The other three routes are Beijing Daxing-Xi'an (Shaanxi province), Ningbo (Zhejiang province)-Beijing Daxing and Chengdu (Sichuan province)-Hangzhou (Zhejiang province).

The trial is in response to the National Development and Reform Commission and the Civil Aviation Administration of China's call for piloting application of SAF, involving a variety of aircraft models including the domestically made C919.

The sustainable aviation fuel is mainly made from waste animals and vegetable fats, oil material, used edible oils, urban house refuse, as well as agricultural and forestry waste. Compared with traditional fossil fuels, the whole processing procedure of SAF can reduce carbon emissions by up to 85 percent, making it the first choice of green alternative energy for civil aviation industry.

Tickets of the SAF flights are available for purchase at the official website of China Eastern as well as on the app of the airliner, said the carrier.