Flight100: Virent’s bio-based fuel makes aviation history again

For a second week in a row, Virent’s plant-based BioForm® Synthesized Aromatic Kerosene (SAK) made aviation history, helping to power Virgin Atlantic’s Flight100, the world’s first 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) transatlantic flight by a commercial airline.

The historic flight took off from London-Heathrow Tuesday, Nov. 28, successfully landing approximately eight hours later at New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport. Virent’s President & General Counsel Dave Kettner was on board the groundbreaking flight.

Dave Kettner, President & General Counsel at Virent and Bob Rozmiarek, Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at Virent, both were on board Flight100, the historic transatlantic flight running on only Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

A subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC), Virent used its BioForming® process to produce the SAK that made the 100% SAF possible as a “drop-in” replacement for conventional jet fuel.

“This is an exciting time for the aviation industry, and Virent is proud that its BioForm® SAK can play such a prominent role in enabling 100% drop-in sustainable aviation fuel,” said Dave Kettner, president and general counsel of Virent. “By eliminating the need to blend with traditional jet fuel, our bio-based aromatics bring sustainable air travel closer not just by reducing carbon emissions, but also reducing particulate matter emissions and enhancing fuel efficiency.”

Development Bob Rozmiarek (right) pose for a photo with two flight attendants prior to the historic Virgin Atlantic flight.

Bob Rozmiarek, Virent’s vice president of Strategy and Business Development, was also on the flight. “Having worked with the many people across various industries who collaborated on this project for so long, I know how much expertise and ingenuity went into making this historic flight possible,” Rozmiarek said.

“This is the very first flight in a commercial airliner and using only SAF, proving that SAF can be used in today’s aircraft and fueling infrastructure without any changes,” Kettner added. “Congratulations to everyone at Virent and the teams from Virgin, Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Air bp, and many others who came together to make this happen.”

Dave Kettner & Bob Rozmiarek prepare to board Flight100.

Tuesday’s flight came just one week after another aviation first, when Virent’s SAK helped power an Emirates Airline demonstration flight in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the first such flight of an Airbus 380 in the Middle East and North Africa to fuel one of its engines with 100% SAF.

Dana Hatch, Laboratory Supervisor at Virent, Edgar Steenwinkel, Virent’s Senior VP of Technology, at the Emirates Airline demonstration flight a week earlier on Nov. 22, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The Emirates Airline demonstration flight was the first such flight of an Airbus 380 in the Middle East and North Africa to fuel one of its engines with 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).