A380 test flight on GTL fuel kicks off Airbus alternative fuel program - includes biofuels
EADS today announced that an Airbus A380 aircraft has successfully completed the world’s first ever flight by a commercial aircraft using a liquid fuel processed from gas (Gas-to-Liquids - GTL). The flight from Filton, UK to Toulouse, France, lasted three hours. This test in the first stage of a programme to evaluate the environmental impact of alternative fuels in the airline market, which includes research into Biomass-to-Liquids fuels (BTL - synthetic biofuels).
The A380, today’s most fuel efficient airliner, is powered by Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines. Shell International Petroleum provided the Shell GTL Jet Fuel. The tests are running in parallel to the agreement signed in November 2007 with the Qatar GTL consortium partners and the results will be shared.
The A380 was chosen because the aircraft is already the environmental benchmark in air travel. It has four engines including segregated fuel tanks making it ideal for engine shut down and re-light tests under standard evaluation conditions. During the flight, engine number one was fed with a blend of GTL and jet fuel whilst the remaining three were fed with standard jet fuel.
This test flight initiates Airbus’ alternatives fuels research programme. GTL could be available at certain locations to make it a practical and viable drop-in alternative fuel for commercial aviation in the short term. GTL has attractive characteristics for local air quality, as well as some benefits in terms of aircraft fuel burn relative to existing jet fuel. For instance, it is virtually free of sulphur. Synthetic fuel can be made from a range of hydrocarbon source material including natural gas or biomass, via the Fischer-Tropsch process.
Testing GTL today will support future second generation biofuels, but which are not presently available in sufficient commercial quantities. Airbus says it will study viable second generation biofuels when they become available:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: synthetic biofuel :: biomass-to-liquids :: gas-to-liquids :: aviation :: Airbus ::
With Airbus' test flight today and its announcement that it too will research next-generation biofuels, all major aircraft manufacturers (Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and others) now have initiated programs to research renewable biofuels for aviation.
In December, the United States Air Force conducted the first ever transcontinental flight of a large aircraft - a C17 - on a synthetic fuel. The flight followed successful tests of the fuel blend in C-17 engines in October, and was the next step in the Air Force's effort to have its entire C-17 fleet certified to use the mixture. Air Force officials certified B-52 Stratotankers to use the mixture in August, and hope to certify the fuel blend for use in all its aircraft within the next five years (previous post).
References:
EADS: Airbus Completes First Test Flight With Alternative Fuel On Civil Aircraft - February 1, 2008.
EADS: Airbus A380 Commences Alternative Fuel Test Flight Programme - February 1, 2008.
Biopact: USAF C-17 makes first ever transcontinental flight on synthetic fuel blend - December 18, 2007
Biopact: Virgin Atlantic to test biofuel in 747 in early 2008 - October 16, 2007
The A380, today’s most fuel efficient airliner, is powered by Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines. Shell International Petroleum provided the Shell GTL Jet Fuel. The tests are running in parallel to the agreement signed in November 2007 with the Qatar GTL consortium partners and the results will be shared.
The A380 was chosen because the aircraft is already the environmental benchmark in air travel. It has four engines including segregated fuel tanks making it ideal for engine shut down and re-light tests under standard evaluation conditions. During the flight, engine number one was fed with a blend of GTL and jet fuel whilst the remaining three were fed with standard jet fuel.
This test flight initiates Airbus’ alternatives fuels research programme. GTL could be available at certain locations to make it a practical and viable drop-in alternative fuel for commercial aviation in the short term. GTL has attractive characteristics for local air quality, as well as some benefits in terms of aircraft fuel burn relative to existing jet fuel. For instance, it is virtually free of sulphur. Synthetic fuel can be made from a range of hydrocarbon source material including natural gas or biomass, via the Fischer-Tropsch process.
Testing GTL today will support future second generation biofuels, but which are not presently available in sufficient commercial quantities. Airbus says it will study viable second generation biofuels when they become available:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: synthetic biofuel :: biomass-to-liquids :: gas-to-liquids :: aviation :: Airbus ::
Fuel and environment are key challenges aviation is facing and for which technology and international research collaboration open up new horizons. Our alternative fuels roadmap requires innovation, diversity of ideas and options that need to be explored. This takes bold cross industry and cross border collaboration and that's what we are showing today with our groundbreaking first test flight with alternative fuels. It is part and parcel of Airbus' commitment to providing leadership as an eco-efficient enterprise. - Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEOAirbus's trial comes at a time when Virgin Atlantic is expected to test the world's first large civilian aircraft on biofuel. It announced the test flight will take place this month. The aircraft will be a Boeing 747. Virgin has not disclosed which biofuel it will be utilizing on that historic occasion.
With Airbus' test flight today and its announcement that it too will research next-generation biofuels, all major aircraft manufacturers (Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and others) now have initiated programs to research renewable biofuels for aviation.
In December, the United States Air Force conducted the first ever transcontinental flight of a large aircraft - a C17 - on a synthetic fuel. The flight followed successful tests of the fuel blend in C-17 engines in October, and was the next step in the Air Force's effort to have its entire C-17 fleet certified to use the mixture. Air Force officials certified B-52 Stratotankers to use the mixture in August, and hope to certify the fuel blend for use in all its aircraft within the next five years (previous post).
References:
EADS: Airbus Completes First Test Flight With Alternative Fuel On Civil Aircraft - February 1, 2008.
EADS: Airbus A380 Commences Alternative Fuel Test Flight Programme - February 1, 2008.
Biopact: USAF C-17 makes first ever transcontinental flight on synthetic fuel blend - December 18, 2007
Biopact: Virgin Atlantic to test biofuel in 747 in early 2008 - October 16, 2007
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