First Non-Fossil Fuel Powered Passenger Transatlantic Flight
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Virgin Atlantic have successfully completed the first transatlantic large passenger flight powered only by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The Boeing 787 flew from Heathrow Airport in London to JFK Airport in New York, BBC News reports. The flight was partly funded by the UK government, who declared it was “a significant UK aviation achievement”.

Shai Weiss, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said the airline’s flight in early December was “proving… that fossil-derived fuel can be replaced by sustainable aviation fuel”.

He added: “It’s really the only pathway to decarbonising long-haul aviation over and above having the youngest fleet in the sky. It is a really momentous achievement.”

SAF is the term used by the aviation industry to describe a non-fossil fuel derived jet fuel. It may sometimes be referred to as renewable jet fuel or biofuel. It is produced from biological or animal sources such as feedstock, household waste, and cooking oils.

SAF is designed to be chemically identical to conventional fossil fuels that are used to power jets, and in most cases the fuels can be safely mixed together. However, the recent Boeing 787 flight was the first long-haul passenger jet flight to be powered by 100% SAF. The use of SAF provides significant CO2 reductions compared to fossil fuels.

SAF also releases fewer polluting particles such as sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere when it is burnt. The fuel can be potentially produced from municipal waste that would otherwise be left to rot in landfill and produce harmful methane emissions, bringing a further environmental benefit.

However, there are still many hurdles to be overcome before SAF can be introduced to commercial airline use on a large scale. SAF is more expensive to produce than fossil fuels, so wide-scale use would lead to higher flight prices. Currently when blended with traditional fuel, SAF accounts for just 0.1% of worldwide aviation fuel consumption.

The UK government plans to make it a legal requirement that at least 10% of all fuel used by UK-registered flight operators should be SAF by 2030. Some experts believe that this will not be possible because there are just not enough biological or waste sources available to produce adequate amounts of SAF.

Furthermore, if more crops are grown specifically to produce SAF, this could cause further environmental damage and even food shortages through deforestation and overuse of land.

Virgin boss Richard Branson acknowledged that it was going to take some time before SAF became a truly viable alternative to fossil fuels. He told the BBC: “But you have to start somewhere. And if we didn’t prove it can be done, you would never, ever get sustainable aviation fuel.”

Dr Guy Gratton, associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University, said: “We can’t produce a majority of our fuel requirements this way because we just don’t have the feedstocks. And even if you do, these fuels are not true ‘net zeros’.”

The UK government is currently working with tech firms and innovators to develop hydrogen fuel as a further alternative source of energy and SAF.

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MATT BEVERLEY

A time served Mechanical engineer Matt’s background includes many high-profile projects within the Automotive Industry: The Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, Spyker Le-Mans racing teams, Bentley, Aston Martin, and Airbus A380. This history and knowledge of complex manufacturing and engineering projects have been transferred and further developed into the bulk material handling sector. Matt has work in Europe, North America, Indonesia, and China

He joined the bulk solids and bulk handling industry in 2019 as Managing Director of Hoverdale UK Ltd and subsequently completed a Management buyout in July 2020. The business has grown yearly, increased employment, its customer base, and worldwide reputation, and disrupted the market with groundbreaking innovative technology. Since Matt took over Hoverdale, the company has filed four patents for innovation; one was granted in 2023 for a design to improve bulk handling. The success had been driven by delivering tailored solutions to the waste recycling sectors that keep material flowing out and money flowing in.

Awards Include

  • 2024 – Shapa company of the Year
  • 2024- Shapa Innovation in Technology
  • 2024- MHEA Engineer of the year
  • 2021 – MHEA Innovation of the year
  • 2021- IMechE Innovation award

Current Positions Include.

  • Group Chairman Hoverdale UK Ltd
  • President (MHEA) Material Handling Engineers Association
  • Vice Chairman: IMechE Bulk Material Handling Committee
  • Council Member: (SHAPA) Solids Handling & Particle Association
  • Member: Chartered Management Institute

Matt has been happily married to Julie for 22 years and has 4 children, 3 of which are involved within the Hoverdale group of companies. He is an RFU level 2 qualified coach and referee having been in several head coaching roles at various age groups from under 6’s to adults for his local team Nuneaton RFC. He believes in the core values that rugby teaches of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship and try’s to carry this through in his day to day business activities. He is passionate at brining the next generation of young, diverse engineers into the sector through promotion of apprenticeship scheme and further education routes.

DAVID BARTER

David is an experienced leader, with a background covering Operations, eCommerce, Finance, Compliance, HR and IT. His career spans Banking, Retail and Engineering, spending the majority of his career working for ALDI as they grew to become 4th largest supermarket in the UK, including seven years on their UK board as Managing Director of IT and eCommerce.

David joined Hoverdale’s Senior Management Team in 2023 to seek a fresh challenge in a completely different industry sector. He has applied his approach to Process Improvement, Efficiency, Customer Service and Teamwork to great effect during Hoverdale’s sustained growth.

Married to Jane, with three adult sons between them, David volunteers on the board of the Nottingham Playhouse theatre as well as his local rugby and football clubs. Any spare time he spends enjoying walks with their Golden Retriever, Buzz, who is also regularly seen in the Hoverdale office.

BEN DUCHESNE

Ben is a time serviced field service engineer in the busy waste and recycling sector, who’s career moved into to managing service teams and beyond. Originally beginning his career with a HGV repair and maintenance apprenticeship with IVECO, from there travelling and working in multiple countries moving towards waste processing shredders.

Ben joined the Hoverdale team in September 2024 seeking to apply his extensive knowledge to a new area. His values and ethics fit perfectly within the Hoverdale ethos.

He is happily married to Kristina, with 4 wonderful young children; 14, 11, 8 and 5. We the children he doesn’t get much spare time. He is a family man, who enjoys spending as much time with them as possible.