Bell 505 Becomes First Single-Engine Helicopter To Fly Using SAF

The Bell 505 taking off on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel. [Credit: Bell]

The aviation industry is pushing the boundaries of innovation on various fronts, and sourcing sustainable fuel sources to reduce greenhouse emissions is one of the big ones. Bell Textron has announced it successfully completed a flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in a Bell 505.

The fuel was supplied by Neste, Safran Helicopter Engines developed the Arrius 2R engine, and GKN Aerospace supplied the components and testing needed for the SAF testing.

“Neste is working closely together with forerunners in the aviation industry on verifying that aircraft can run safely on 100 percent SAF. This successful collaboration demonstrates that we are one step closer to enabling the entire aviation industry to take full advantage of 100 percent SAF,” said Jonathan Wood, vice president global commercial and technical, renewable aviation at Neste, in a statement.

Read More: Neste Delivers More Than 500,000 Gallons of SAF to LAX

This flight makes the 505 the first single-engine helicopter to fly using 100 percent SAF.

“This flight is a monumental achievement for sustainability and decarbonization in the rotorcraft industry,” Michael Thacker, executive vice president of commercial business of Bell said in a release. “Showcasing a single engine aircraft’s flight capabilities with 100 percent SAF signals Bell’s commitment to alternative fuel usage and builds on its sustainability practices in its flight operations.”

Arrius 2R engine AvGas Bell 505 bell textron helicopter Neste SAF Sustainable Fuel

Amy WilderEditor

Amy Wilder is managing editor for Plane & Pilot magazine. She fell in love with airplanes at age 8 when her brother-in-law took her up in a Cessna 172. Pretty soon, Amy's bedroom walls were covered with images of vintage airplanes and she was convinced she'd be a bush pilot in Alaska one day. She became a journalist instead, which is also somewhat impractical—but with fewer bears. Now she's working on her private pilot certificate and ready to be a lifelong student of the art of flying.