FAST was established in 2023 as a competitive grant program for projects located in the United States focused on aviation technologies and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). 

FAST Awards

Below is a description of the executed FAST projects. The FAA is not planning additional funding opportunities under the FAST Grant Program at this time. 

Technology Projects:

APiJET – Optimizing Flight Routes using Real-Time Operating Constraints via Scalable Ground-Based Software
Enhancement of a ground-based software tool for use by airlines that recommends fuel optimized aircraft routings.

Green Taxi – Green Taxi Electric Taxi (eTaxi) System for Embraer E-175 Aircraft
Design, manufacture and certification of electric taxi (eTaxi) system on the Embraer E-175 aircraft, eventually expanding to other models. Technology incorporates an electric motor driven system on the nose landing gear powered by existing auxiliary power unit (APU) electrical output.

Hamilton Sundstrand – SAF Robustness
Project to demonstrate fuel system hardware robustness for the purpose of increasing utilization of up to 100% SAF. 

Heart Aerospace – Total Hybrid Electric Management and Integration System
Development of a hybrid electric management and integration system to automate dynamic adjustment of parallel hybrid propulsion sources onboard the aircraft. This would manage and balance power sources to optimize energy efficiency while being transparent to the pilot.

Honeywell Aerospace – Sustainable Electrified Aircraft Power
Advancement of highly efficient, all electric turbogenerator auxiliary power unit to enable aircraft systems electrification and electrified propulsion.

JetZero – Blended Wing Body Lightweight Composite Structures
Development of key enabling technologies required to bring blended wing body technology to the market, primarily lightweight composite structures capable of supporting a non-cylindrical pressure vessel, and producible at rates required to meet market demand.

Otto Aviation – Wind-Tunnel Testing of a Transonic Aircraft with a Fully-Integrated Slotted, Natural Laminar-Flow Wing
Wind-tunnel testing of transonic, slotted, natural-laminar-flow integrated wing and aircraft design, with a particular emphasis on the wing geometry and how it integrates with the flight test vehicle.

Boeing – SAF Quality Indication
Development method of fuel energy content (quality) indication as part of a new suite of technologies to improve the measurement of fuel in an airplane fuel tank and allow for more accurate fuel load calculation.

University of Michigan – Expanding Flight Operations-based Technologies: Fleet-wide and NAS-wide Arrival Flow Optimizer
Optimizing arrival air traffic routing in the extended terminal area through real-time route advisories implemented in the Nexteon SmartRoutes flight planning software service.

University of Illinois – Infrastructure for Demonstration of Electrified Aircraft Systems
Development of a world class, scalable megawatt-level test facility for reliability testing, verification, and validation of innovative concepts to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies that will improve aircraft efficiency.

Wright Electric – Ultra High Energy Battery
Development of a high temperature molten Lithium-Sulfur battery with roughly 3 times the capacity of commercial lithium-ion batteries, with an emphasis on reducing risks tied to airworthiness and high volume production.

ZeroAvia – Project Hydrogen Aircraft Engine Zero Emission Leap
Design, build, integration and test of a suite of hydrogen fuel cell powered propulsion system technologies, including inverter, motor, and integrated systems.

SAF Projects:

City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation - SAF Implementation and Infrastructure Feasibility Study
Study to provide recommendations for infrastructure improvements and additional project opportunities for the City of Philadelphia to implement in support of SAF uptake in the region.

Piedmont Triad Airport Authority - SAF Delivery to Piedmont Triad International Airport
Study to identify new or converted infrastructure required to facilitate SAF utilization at Piedmont Triad Airport.

Siemens Energy, Inc. - Supply Chain Scoping Studies for DAC-SAF
Scoping study to develop plans for a pilot direct air capture SAF production plant and identify locations where production facilities would best support regional supply chains.

University of Virginia - Aviation Biofuels Supply Chains from Southwest Virginia to Washington Dulles International Airport
Supply chain modeling and analysis study for supplying SAF to Washington Dulles International Airport. The study will provide key information for relevant stakeholders and inform investment decisions.

Arcadia eFuels - Arcadia eFuels Project Arc
Front End Engineering Design (FEED) for Project Arc, an initiative to build a new SAF plant in Gregory, Texas, projected to produce 23.2 million gallons of SAF per year starting in 2028.