Continental to Test Biofuel in Jets

John Davis

continental.jpgContinental Airlines will run a test flight on biofuel sometime next year.

This story posted on Gizmag.com says the experiment with Boeing will make Continental the first major U.S. carrier to attempt such a flight that hopes to find a sustainable fuel for the aviation industry:

Continental’s biofuel flight will use a Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft equipped with CFM International CFM56-7B engines. CFM is a joint enterprise of General Electric Company and Snecma. In the months leading up to the flight, Continental, Boeing and GE will work together and with an undisclosed fuel provider to identify sustainable fuel sources that don’t impact food crops, water resources or contribute to deforestation, and which can be produced in sufficient quantities to support a pre-flight test schedule that includes laboratory and ground-based jet engine performance testing to ensure compliance with stringent aviation fuel performance and safety requirements.

The article goes on to say that Continental has been working hard to reduce its environmental impact. The company has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption per mainline revenue passenger mile flown over the past decade.

Biodiesel