Air New Zealand conducts world-first biofuel flight
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On 30 December 2008 Air New Zealand successfully conducted the world’s first commercial aviation test flight powered by a sustainable second-generation biofuel.
The flight, a joint initiative with partners Boeing, Rolls-Royce and Honeywell’s UOP, saw an Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 fly with one of its four Rolls-Royce RB211 engines powered by a 50:50 blend of biofuel blend derived from the second generation biofuel plant, Jatropha Curcas, and traditional jet fuel.
During the flight the crew reportedly conducted a number of fuel tests confirming and measuring the performance of the engine and fuel systems at various altitudes and under a variety of operating conditions, according to a Bernama report.
Jatropha is considered a legitimate biofuel option as it can be grown in a range of difficult conditions, including arid and otherwise non-arable areas, thus not taking up land valuable for food crops. Additionally the fuel must be technically as good as the jet kerosene used today, and should be cost competitive with existing fuel supplies and be readily available.
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