SindSagar

'Flawless' Air New Zealand biofuel test flight

The quest for sustainable second-generation biofuels took a major step forward on Dec. 30, 2008, with a 747-400 test flight in Auckland, New Zealand, described by Air New Zealand Chief Pilot David Morgan as "absolutely flawless."

During the two-hour test flight, one RB211-524D4 engine ran on 10,000 liters of a 50/50 blend of jatropha-derived biofuel and conventional fuel (Jet-A1). Engine tests included engine shutdowns and relights, a simulated missed approach and engine reaction to rapid throttle movement.

"There were no surprises, and that's the way we like it," said Billy Glover, managing director, Commercial Airplanes Environmental Strategy. "The biofuel was at least as good as or better in all categories than currently available fuels. Today's flight was an important milestone to achieving commercially sustainable biofuels by 2012."

Second-generation biofuels such as jatropha do not compete with natural food or water resources and do not contribute to deforestation practices. These biofuels avoid the situation in which food and fuel crops compete directly for the same natural resources.

Next, the jatropha process will be tested to the American Society for Testing and Materials standard (D1655) and the corresponding UK standard (DEF STAN 91-91) before certification by airworthiness authorities. Learn more about Boeing's efforts to move biofuels forward in the December/January edition of Frontiers magazine.

For more information, visit Boeing Commercial Airplanes and the Environment.


Nice to know someone is working towards renewable energy source development!

hareem01

^Thanks for posting.

SindSagar

US Airline also used renewable source fuel.......

Boeing, partners complete 1st algae-powered flight in North America

http://www.paklinks.com/gs/090108p_biofuels_sm.jpgBoeing and Continental Airlines on Wednesday completed the first sustainable biofuels flight of a commercial jetliner in North America. The Houston-based flight of the 737-800 also marked the first using a twin-engine airplane and the first using fuel derived in part from algae. "Results from this flight will help pioneer a more diverse fuel supply for commercial aviation," said Billy Glover, Commercial Airplanes managing director of Environmental Strategy. "Having a more sustainable fuel portfolio is absolutely vital and our drive toward biofuel certification supports that goal." Boeing and Continental worked with CFMI and Honeywell's UOP on the flight.