June 23, 2022 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that, this month, it has joined the international technical review panel comprised of FAA and aviation OEMs (FAA / OEM Review Panel defined in ASTM D4054), which evaluates the safety of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and supports the standardization of SAF.

SAF is expected to play an important role in achieving carbon neutrality in aviation as it is produced from non-fossil or sustainable raw materials such as plants and waste, and reduces CO₂ emissions compared to conventional jet fuel. In the meantime, to enable the end use of SAF, it must be evaluated for safety on aircraft and engines by the members of the FAA / OEM Review Panel, and its specifications must be established as American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Together with other review panel members, Honda will contribute to the safety and widespread use of SAF by evaluating the safety of newly-developed SAF through the review of various test data and by supporting standardization.

Working toward the realization of a sustainable society, Honda has set a company-wide goal of achieving carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities Honda is involved in by 2050. In the area of aviation, in addition to developing new environmentally responsible power units based on gas turbine and electrification technologies, Honda is conducting research on carbon neutral fuels that will serve as an alternative to fossil fuels, as well as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies^*. With the participation on this international SAF review panel, Honda will strive to realize carbon neutrality by further advancing and achieving practical application of its technologies not only through its independent initiatives, but also while collaborating with various companies and organizations around the world. 

FAA / OEM Review Panel is an international organization comprised of the FAA, aircraft manufacturers and aeroengine manufacturers, which is evaluating the impact of SAF on aircraft and engines. Current participants are Boeing, Airbus, Dassault, Embraer, De Havilland, Bell Helicopter, Bombardier, Sikorsky, General Electric, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Honeywell Safran and Honda. 

Honda began research into aircraft and jet engines in 1986. As for the aircraft, Honda developed HondaJet, a light business jet aircraft with a unique engine layout structure (Over-The-Wing Engine Mount). As for aircraft engines, Honda developed the HF120 engine jointly with General Electric Company (GE) based on the HF118 engine Honda developed independently. With its innovative aircraft and jet engine technologies, HondaJet achieves best-in class fuel efficiency and environmental performance which contributes to the reduction of the environmental impact of its flights. Currently, the HondaJet global fleet comprises over 200 aircraft with more than 100,000 flight hours recorded.

* Technologies that enable recycle / reuse of CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere as energy resource.