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Airbus Tests Flight With Alternative Fuel |
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Monday, 04 February 2008 |
An Airbus A380 aircraft successfully completed the world's first flight by a commercial aircraft using a liquid fuel processed from gas (Gas to Liquids - GTL). The test is seen as the first stage of a test flight program to evaluate the environmental impact of alternative fuels in the airline market. The fuel was provided by Shell International Petroleum and the flight lasted three hours.
Airbus representatives were pleased with the test and a representative stated that “GTL could be available at certain locations to make it a practical and viable drop-in alternative fuel for commercial aviation in the short term”. The representative further stated that, “GTL has attractive characteristics for local air quality, as well as some benefits in terms of aircraft fuel burn relative to existing jet fuel. For instance, it is virtually free of sulphur. Synthetic fuel can be made from a range of hydrocarbon source material including natural gas or organic plant matter made by a process called Fischer-Tropsch”.
Read the full story at Environmental Leader |
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