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Jumbo Jet Flies on Veggie Oil

Boeing 747 powered by biofuel

By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 31, 2008 6:35 AM CST
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(Newser) – A Boeing 747 powered by a mixture of aviation fuel and vegetable oil flew on a two-hour test flight which is being hailed as a technological and ecological milestone. The Air New Zealand passenger jet was powered in part by oil from the jatropha plant, reports the BBC.

The International Air Transport Association has set a goal for a tenth of aviation fuel to come from biofuels by 2017. Biofuels are renewable and create fewer emissions, but they are controversial because their widespread use would involve turning fertile land over to the cultivation of energy crops at the expense of growing food.


The engine of a Boeing 747 powered by a 50/50 mix of aviation fuel and vegetable oil.
The engine of a Boeing 747 powered by a 50/50 mix of aviation fuel and vegetable oil.   (AP Photo/NZ Herald, Paul Estcourt)
Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe. His airline's successful test of a mixture of vegetable oil and aviation fuel is being hailed as a technological and ecological milestone.
Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe. His airline's successful test of a mixture of vegetable oil and aviation fuel is being hailed as a technological and ecological milestone.   (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
Air New Zealand's pilots pose with company CEO Rob Fyfe before their test of a biofuel mixture on a Boeing 747 flight.
Air New Zealand's pilots pose with company CEO Rob Fyfe before their test of a biofuel mixture on a Boeing 747 flight.   (AP Photo/NZ Herald, Paul Estcourt)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
Newser001
Dec 31, 2008 5:07 AM CST
¡De nanda!
Sleepy1
Dec 31, 2008 12:58 AM CST
Thanks for that interesting info.
Newser001
Dec 30, 2008 11:49 PM CST
BTW, sorry about the massive link for WWII development of synthetic fuels. Here's a mini-link to the same resource: http://tinyurl.com/preview.php?disable=1

Air New Zealand flies on engine with jatropha biofuel blend
New York Times

Airlines step up search for viable biofuels
International Herald Tribune

 
ethanol • biofuel • Virgin Atlantic • Air New Zealand • Boeing 747 • coconuts • babassu nuts • jatropha • vegetable oil • International Air Transport Association

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