United Airlines conducts test flight with synthetic jet fuel

(vIndianz May 1 2010): United Airlines on Friday became the first US commercial airline to operate a test flight using synthetic jet fuel that is derived from natural gas.

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The exercise was conducted by the UAL Corporation-owned carrier at the Denver International Airport by employing an Airbus A319 aircraft from its fleet for the purpose. The synthetic jet fuel was mixed with conventional Jet A fuel in a 40/60 mix and filled in one of the two engines of the aircraft. The flight departed the airport at 8.15 am MDT and scaled an altitude of 39,000 feet. An on-board team comprising of 19 engineers and observers led by United Airlines’ Managing Director of the Technology and Flight Test department, Captain Joseph Burns, collected data concerning the fuel’s performance during flight maneuvers such as taxiing, takeoff, climbing, cruising, auxiliary power unit start, descent and approach. The analysis of the data and results related to the performance of the synthetic fuel and its environmental benefits will be revealed in the next 10 days.

The synthetic jet fuel produced by energy solutions company RenTech Inc. is a derivative of natural gas that has been converted to liquid fuel. It can be added to existing aircraft engines without any modifications. The organization for international technical standards, ASTM International, has certified the fuel as safe for passenger flights. The fuel is also considered as being eco-friendly.

United Airlines had last year signed MoUs along with 15 other passenger and cargo carriers to form a framework for agreements that would ensure future supplies of certified synthetic jet fuel and another kind of jet fuel derived from camelina oil, a biofuel.

The carrier is one of the world’s largest airlines operating internationally, offering services to over 230 destinations in the US and abroad.

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