Sustainable Aviation Fuel Is Not Just a Fuel Problem—It Is an Aircraft Design Problem
SAF use is rising—but fuel supply alone will not decarbonize aviation. Engineers must understand what SAF means for aircraft design, combustion, aircraft performance, materials, certification, airports and lifecycle emissions. AIAA and HYSKY Society’s advanced Sustainable Aviation Fuel course now runs October 20–November 20, 2026. Registration is open.
AIAA and HYSKY Society announce new October 20–November 20 dates for advanced sustainable aviation fuel engineering course
HOUSTON, Texas — September 22, 2026 — The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and HYSKY Society have announced updated dates for Advanced Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and Aircraft Design, a live online professional-development course connecting sustainable aviation fuel chemistry with aircraft design, propulsion, certification, airport infrastructure, and lifecycle analysis.
The course will now run from October 20 through November 20, 2026, giving aerospace professionals additional time to register for an engineering-focused SAF education program.
The announcement comes at a pivotal moment for aviation. Global SAF production is expected to reach approximately 2.4 million tonnes in 2026—yet that represents only about 0.8% of worldwide jet-fuel consumption, according to IATA. At the same time, governments and operators are moving rapidly from voluntary sustainability goals toward mandates, reporting requirements, infrastructure investment, and real-world deployment. IATA
Europe recently reported that SAF accounted for 2.8% of aviation fuel supplied at EU airports in 2025, exceeding the first mandatory ReFuelEU Aviation target of 2%. The milestone signals that SAF is moving beyond demonstration projects and into everyday aviation operations. EASA
But scaling SAF requires more than producing additional fuel.
Engineers must understand how fuel composition affects combustion, engine operability, materials, aircraft sizing, payload range, airport systems, certification, lifecycle emissions, and the economic viability of future aircraft.
“The aviation industry cannot treat sustainable aviation fuel as something that ends at the refinery gate,” said Danielle McLean, President and Executive Director of HYSKY Society. “Fuel decisions become aircraft decisions, infrastructure decisions, certification decisions, and ultimately climate-impact decisions. This course gives professionals the technical framework to connect all of those pieces.”
An Engineering-First Approach to SAF
Unlike programs centered primarily on policy or fuel-production pathways, Advanced Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Aircraft Design examines SAF through the aircraft and aviation system itself.
With 22 hours of lessons in 11 live online sessions, participants will study:
SAF combustion, fuel efficiency and experimental evidence
Engine integration, operability and non-CO₂ effects
Fuel-driven aircraft and propulsion-system design
Hybrid-electric aircraft design trades
Fuel properties, materials behavior and system compatibility
Certification of SAF-compatible fuel systems
SAF production, blending and supply-chain infrastructure
Airport integration and turnaround operations
Fuel-aware aircraft-design methods
Aircraft, fuel and operations co-design
Lifecycle assessment and fuel carbon-intensity calculations
Participants will learn from six instructors representing aircraft design, propulsion, airports, sustainability, certification and lifecycle analysis.
Updated Course Details
Course: Advanced Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Aircraft Design
Dates: October 20–November 20, 2026
Time: 12:00–2:00 p.m. Central Time
Format: 11 live online sessions
Duration: 22 classroom hours
Credit: 2.2 CEU/PDH
Recordings: Sessions will be recorded and available for replay
Certificate: Participants receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion
The course is intended for aerospace and propulsion engineers, aircraft designers, fuel-system and materials specialists, airport planners, SAF producers, certification professionals, airline technical teams, sustainability and lifecycle-analysis professionals, policymakers, researchers and graduate engineering students.
Registration
Registration is open through AIAA.
AIAA member: $995AIAA student member: $545Non-member: $1,195
About HYSKY Society
HYSKY Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to decarbonize aviation through education, collaboration and the advancement of hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuel, electric propulsion and other clean aviation technologies.
