Successful biofuel test flight for Virgin Atlantic
Monday, 25 Feb 2008 09:06
A successful biofuel demonstration flight from London Heathrow to Amsterdam Schiphol airport took place yesterday, Virgin Atlantic has confirmed.
The airline was testing a commercial-style flight with a Boeing 747-400 running on fuel made from babassu and coconut oil.
Along with Virgin Atlantic, Boeing, GE Aviation and Imperium Renewables were flight partners in the project to pioneer renewable fuel sources for aviation.
The flight took off from Heathrow at 11:34 GMT and landed in Amsterdam at 12:14 GMT having reached an altitude of 25,000 ft as planned.
Five people were onboard for the flight, including captain Geoff Andreason.
Oils from babassu nuts and coconuts are claimed to be environmentally and socially sustainable and were harvested from existing, mature plantations.
Virgin Atlantic said that no modifications were made to the aircraft or its engines in order to use the fuel.