Airlines and military aviation turn to biofuels; South Africa’s Sasol in lead as jet synfuel producer

Aviation Week published a summary of biofuels progress for commercial and military aviation with a focus on the coal-to-liquid fuel; using the Fisher-Tropsch process. Last year, Sasol, the South African state fuel company, received ASTM certification for a Fischer-Tropsch based synfuel, which has been blended by South African Airways with conventional Jet-A for many years.

The report confirms that GE’s test of a CFM56-7B engine revealed thermal stability problems with biodiesel at high temperatures, which currently is solved by blending with Jet-A at a 30/70 ratio. The CFM56 powers the Boeing 737, the Airbus 340, and is an option the Airbus 320 series. The report profiles efforts at Boeing, Continental, Virgin, and Air New Zealand, as well as focusing on synfuels tested by the US Air Force. The report notes the large amounts of CO2 produced by the Fischer-Tropsch process.

Click here for a complete background report on commercial aviation and biofuels.

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