Flight tests ability of synthetic fuel
April 30, 2010, 02:46 pm
United Airlines announced one of its jets recently completed a flight using synthetic fuel derived from natural gas.
The flight, which took off from Denver International Airport, climbed to an altitude of 39,000 feet while a team on board collected data. The synthetic product was mixed with Jet A fuel and was produced by Rentech Inc.
Joseph Kolshak, United Airlines senior vice president of operations, said the company supports the use of alternative fuels and that it hopes the government and private investors will further investigate their potential.
"This flight confirms our assumptions about how this fuel performs on a commercial aircraft and is the next step in our effort to stimulate competition in the aviation fuel supply chain, promote energy security, environmental benefits, and the creation of green jobs," Kolshak said.
A recent report noted that the next 10 years could see the use of eco-friendly fuels by the industry increase to reduce dependence on foreign sources of oil. Furthermore, the U.S. and European Union extended an agreement that should provide further cooperation in green matters affecting airlines.
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