Aviation history was made earlier this month in the high desert at the Reno-Stead Airport in Nevada, USA, when an L-29 military aircraft piloted by Carol Sugars and Douglas Rodante succeeded in completing the world's first jet flight powered solely by 100 per cent biodiesel fuel, a Green Flight International release said. The Czechoslovakian-made aircraft is rated to fly on a variety of fuels including heating oil, making it the preferred platform for testing biodiesel in jet engines.
The experimental test flights were conducted starting with a blend of jet fuel and biodiesel. The engine data was measured and the performance was evaluated and found acceptable for continued use, eventually resulting in the landmark flight using 100 per cent renewable biodiesel fuel. According to Chief Pilot Carol Sugars who wrote and conducted the test programme, "As we gradually increased the amount of biodiesel in the fuel blend, the data confirmed that the aircraft continued to perform well, giving me the confidence to transition to 100 per cent biodiesel." Flight tests were conducted up to an altitude of 17,000 feet showing no significant difference in performance compared to conventional jet fuel.
"This test programme between Green Flight International and Biodiesel Solutions was a unique and exciting opportunity to show what can be done in renewable fuels," said Rudi Wiedemann, President, Biodiesel Solutions. "The very idea of using 100 per cent biodiesel to fly a jet aircraft makes a compelling statement about the possibilities for the future of renewable energy and a healthier planet."
Green Flight International was founded in 2006 to promote wider adoption of environment-friendly fuels in commercial aviation through international television media and print outlets. Biodiesel Solutions, Inc., based in Sparks, Nevada, is the world's leading manufacturer of community-scale biodiesel production equipment.