Air China tests aviation biofuel in Boeing 747 with successful results

First test flight of a Boeing 747 using aviation biofuel made from Chinese biomass was described as "perfect." 

Air China has completed a demonstration flight using a sustainable biofuel derived from biomass grown in China. Using an Air China Boeing 747 powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4000 94-inch engines, the flight lasted approximately one hour. No modifications to the aircraft or the engine were required for the biofuel, which is a "drop-in" replacement for petroleum-based fuel.

A spokesman for Air China called it an "important milestone" for the airline as China works to grow its aviation industry in an environmentally friendly and economical way.

The flight was completed as part of the Energy Cooperation Program's Sustainable Biofuel Program, led by Boeing and other industry members, including Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney. Announced by the Chinese and U.S. governments in 2009, the Energy Cooperation Program leverages government and private sectors for project development work in China across a broad array of clean energy projects. In May 2010, Boeing, PetroChina, and representatives of the China energy sector and the global aviation industry announced the Sustainable Biofuel Program to provide strategic assessment of the potential for sustainable aviation biofuels in China, the first such effort in the Asian region.

Pratt & Whitney led a cross-industry team of engine manufacturers that updated the current fuel specification guide. This new global industry standard outlines the steps required to safely and economically evaluate and certify any alternative fuel for use in aviation.