JAL to fly on camelina
Japan Airlines (JAL) will be the first airline to conduct a demonstration flight using camelina-based biofuel, planned for 30 January 2009 at Haneda Airport, Tokyo.
A blend of 50% biofuel and 50% traditional Jet-A jet (kerosene) fuel will be tested in one of the four Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines of a JAL-owned Boeing 747-300 aircraft.
The biofuel component to be used will be a mixture of three second-generation biofuel feedstocks: camelina (84%), jatropha (<16%), and algae (<1%).
Camelina, also known as false flax, is an energy crop, with a high oil content and ability to grow in rotation with wheat and other cereal crops.
The crop is mostly grown in more moderate climates such as the northern plains of the US. It can be grown in dry areas, poor soil and at high altitudes.
The camelina to be used in the JAL demo flight was sourced by Sustainable Oils, a US-based provider of renewable, environmentally clean, and high-value camelina-based fuels.
Terasol Energy sourced and provided the jatropha oil, and the algae oil was provided by Sapphire Energy.
‘Prior to take-off, we will run the No. 3 engine (middle right) using the fuel blend to confirm everything operates normally. In the air, we will check the engine's performance during normal and non-normal flight operations, which will include quick accelerations and decelerations, and engine shutdown and restart,’ JAL environmental affairs VP Yasunori Abe explains.
Once the flight has been completed, data recorded on the aircraft will be analysed by Pratt & Whitney and Boeing engineers.
Several of the engine readings will be used to determine if equivalent engine performance was seen from the biofuel blend compared to typical Jet A-1 fuel.
A blend of 50% biofuel and 50% traditional Jet-A jet (kerosene) fuel will be tested in one of the four Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines of a JAL-owned Boeing 747-300 aircraft.
The biofuel component to be used will be a mixture of three second-generation biofuel feedstocks: camelina (84%), jatropha (<16%), and algae (<1%).
Camelina, also known as false flax, is an energy crop, with a high oil content and ability to grow in rotation with wheat and other cereal crops.
The crop is mostly grown in more moderate climates such as the northern plains of the US. It can be grown in dry areas, poor soil and at high altitudes.
The camelina to be used in the JAL demo flight was sourced by Sustainable Oils, a US-based provider of renewable, environmentally clean, and high-value camelina-based fuels.
Terasol Energy sourced and provided the jatropha oil, and the algae oil was provided by Sapphire Energy.
‘Prior to take-off, we will run the No. 3 engine (middle right) using the fuel blend to confirm everything operates normally. In the air, we will check the engine's performance during normal and non-normal flight operations, which will include quick accelerations and decelerations, and engine shutdown and restart,’ JAL environmental affairs VP Yasunori Abe explains.
Once the flight has been completed, data recorded on the aircraft will be analysed by Pratt & Whitney and Boeing engineers.
Several of the engine readings will be used to determine if equivalent engine performance was seen from the biofuel blend compared to typical Jet A-1 fuel.
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