How many coconuts does a Boeing 747 need to fly from London to Amsterdam?
Last year amid much fanfare, a Virgin Atlantic 747-400 with one of its four engines fueled by a mix of 80 percent jet-A and 20 percent coconut and babassu oils flew the route in 40 minutes. Had all four engines been flying on biofuels alone, it would have required the oil from several million coconuts.
Energy
October 14, 2009 - 9:59am
October 1, 2009 - 8:58am
The FAA’s recent special airworthiness information bulletin (SAIB: NE-09-25R1) regarding recommended safe-operating guidelines in the possible presence of the jet-fuel contaminant Fame (fatty acid methyl ester) has caused some confusion among operators. The agency is concerned that jet fuel could be exposed to Fame contamination through the use of multi-product fuel-transport systems and is taking steps to begin educating operators.
August 25, 2009 - 12:03pm
GE Aviation will soon start certification testing of its new 800-shp H80 turboprop engine, derived from the Walter M601. Last summer, GE acquired certain assets of Prague, Czech Republic-based Walter Engines.
August 25, 2009 - 10:08am
Air Fuel Synthesis (AFS), a UK- based company founded by a small group of scientists and engineers, is reaching out to the aviation industry in the hopes of marketing a carbon-neutral jet fuel made from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
July 28, 2009 - 8:55am
CRS Jet Spares is offering a new low-current/constant-voltage battery trickle charger that can be used to float-charge nicad and lead-acid mainship batteries. According to Armando Leighton Jr., the company’s CEO, the unit is a low-cost way to maintain the charge of batteries in storage or on aircraft so that fully charged batteries are available when needed.
July 28, 2009 - 5:48am
The prospect of synthetic fuel qualification took an important step closer to reality last month when ASTM International’s aviation fuels subcommittee passed a new specification for alternative jet fuel. The new specification details the properties and criteria required to control the production and quality of synthetic fuels for aviation use.
July 2, 2009 - 11:44am
The possibility of commercially available synthetic jet fuels took a step closer to reality last week when ASTM International’s aviation fuels subcommittee passed a new specification for alternative jet fuel. The new specification details the properties and criteria required to control the production and quality of synthetic fuels for aviation use.
June 29, 2009 - 11:25am
Honeywell last month said it completed initial testing of renewable jet fuel on its 131-9 APU and TFE731-5 turbofan engine. Bob Smith, vice president for advanced technology, said the company had seen “no degradation in engine performance or fuel consumption.” The biofuel was produced by Honeywell’s UOP unit using oil from jatropha plants and algae.
June 16, 2009 - 6:43am
Singapore’s Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies (Stand B75) is officially unveiling its new Aeropak fuel cell system here this week. It is designed to increase the flight endurance of small and stealthy electric unmanned aerial systems (UAS) by as much as 300 percent, the new product will bring an immediate performance improvement over today’s best battery systems, according to Horizon.
June 13, 2009 - 2:14am
The presence of Parker Hannifin Corp. (Hall 5 Stand D36) at this Paris Air Show underscores its research-and-development commitment in fields such as system health, “adaptive energy” and fuel tank safety. For example, its energy-harvesting predictive health monitoring device will allow operators to supervise the vitality of an aircraft’s systems by measuring component vibrations during flight.
