Rheinland Air Service and Mönchengladbach Airport are pioneering refuelling with sustainably produced fuel

Rheinland Air Service and Mönchengladbach Airport (MGL) are setting new standards in reducing CO2 emissions in aviation. From now on, aircraft can refuel with sustainably produced fuel, known as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), there. MGL is the first airport in Germany where SAF is continuously available. Refueling is carried out by the local aviation service company Rheinland Air Service (RAS) – with the exception of the very first filling, which was done today by NRW Minister of Transport Oliver Krischer.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel is currently the fastest and most promising way to reduce aviation CO2 emissions. Compared to kerosene from fossil sources, SAF is up to 90 percent less carbon-intensive over its entire life cycle. The fuel can currently be used in aircraft with a blending ratio of up to 50 percent. Aircraft and engine manufacturers worldwide are working towards allowing the use of pure SAF in the future.

Aviation fuel from the circular economy

The SAF at Mönchengladbach Airport is provided by the multi-energy company TotalEnergies. The sustainable aviation fuel is produced from waste and residues from the circular economy (e.g., animal fats, used cooking oils) and then blended with conventional aviation fuel, with the SAF portion being 35 percent, making it immediately usable in all aircraft engines without further special approvals. While SAF is already offered at other airports in Germany, it is not available continuously.

Oliver Krischer, Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia, initiated today by pressing a button at the apron refueling facility the first refueling of an aircraft with SAF at MGL. He said: “Aviation must also become climate-neutral. That’s why we support measures and projects that enable flying without fossil fuels. Electric drives play a role as well as the use of SAF. It is groundbreaking that Mönchengladbach Airport has now created the opportunity to refuel aircraft with SAF. This is an important step towards making flying more environmentally friendly.”

Aircraft refueling at Mönchengladbach is done through RAS. Johannes Graf von Schaesberg, CEO of RAS, said: “Rheinland Air Service has committed as a European dealer of Honda Aircraft and Daher Aircraft to carry out all HondaJet ferry flights and demonstration flights using SAF by RAS as a matter of principle. The same applies to Daher’s TBM and Kodiak aircraft.”

More than an airport

With nearly 50,000 flight movements annually, MGL is one of the most important general aviation airports in Germany. Business flyers appreciate its central location, weather-independent accessibility, and fast handling. Flight schools offer training for private pilot licenses up to commercial pilot licenses, while regional aircraft and business jets from around the world come to Mönchengladbach for maintenance. The powerful aviation cluster at MGL continues to evolve and is strengthened by innovative projects such as the development of new flight systems. The vision of MGL goes far beyond the traditional role of an airport. The airport company aims to actively shape and implement new and sustainable processes in aviation.

Mobility transition in the air

Andreas Ungar, Managing Director of Flughafengesellschaft Mönchengladbach GmbH, said: “We are very pleased to be able to offer our customers SAF in cooperation with RAS from now on and thus take an important first step forward. Aviation faces the challenge of ensuring decarbonization and thus mobility transition in the air. We do not want to wait for others’ results but actively shape processes profitably and thus create conditions for new and sustainable value chains on site. The permanent availability of SAF at MGL challenges the airport company’s claim and that of RAS to actively shape a more sustainable aviation industry. As ‘First Mover’ in the German aviation industry, we can create the conditions for new regional aviation at MGL.”