Biofuel flight test schedule

February 2008

In a joint initiative between Virgin Atlantic, Boeing and GE, Virgin Atlantic flew the first "proof-of concept" flight on a Boeing 747-400 equipped with GE engines using a biofuel blend supplied by Imperium Renewables. This flight showed the technical feasibility of using biofuels in a commercial jetliner and was a significant step toward a long-term vision of fully sustainable, low-carbon-lifecycle fuel solutions for the aviation industry.

December 2008

In a joint initiative between Air New Zealand, Boeing, Rolls Royce, and UOP, a Honeywell company, Air New Zealand flew the first flight test usinga second-generation biofuel on a Boeing 747-400 equipped with Rolls-Royce engines. The fuel for the flight was a 50/50 mix of jatropha and JetA1. The jatropha oil New Zealand refined for this test flight was sourced from seeds grown on environmentally sustainable farms and was refined through a collaborative effort between Air New Zealand, Boeing and leading refining technology developer UOP.

January 2009

January 2009

In a joint initiative between Japan Airlines, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, and Honeywell's UOP, Japan Airlines conducted the first biofuel test flight using camelina as a fuel source. The flight took place on January 30, 2009 out of Haneda Airport in Tokyo on a Boeing 747-300.