Flying vegetable oil

Australian airliner Qantas is set to use vegetable oil to fuel a flight between Sydney and Adelaide, adding the global airliner to a list of several companies that are stepping into the biofuel arena.

The airliner will be importing the biofuel composition from Holland, using SkyNRG for the test flight. This is the same composition that powered a Lufthansa jet which flew a domestic route in Germany for around half a year. The pilot test also replicates that made by Virgin in conjunction with Licella, who used a biocrude oil from waste and Mallee eucalyptic roots.

The test is part of a move to reduce costs, and will be monitored carefully in relation to its sustainability. Qantas head of environment John Valastro said that biofuel productions must reach a commercial scale at a competitive price before the industry will truly reap the benefits. He believes a joint venture between the government, private sector investment, access to infrastructure and market demand is what is required to make the alternative fuel source successful.

Thompson Airways recently made Britain's first commercial flight, with a Boeing 757 using a 50/50 mix of used cooking oil and traditional aviation fuel to fly between Birmingham and Lanzarote.

Posted by Joseph Hutton