Flying Green

Air China launches first test of biofuel flight

China’s first airplane demonstration test using sustainable aviation biofuel was conducted at Beijing Capital International Airport on October 28, 2011. It was teamwork between Air China, PetroChina, Boeing and Honeywell UOP, and based on the energy cooperation between China and the US. During the perfect test flight launch at this airport, the B747-400 passenger plane was driven by aviation biofuel.

While Zheng Weimin, Deputy Managing Director of Air China Fleet was the leader of the flight crew, Captain Zhang Rongbin is the Deputy Director of the Flight Crew Subdivision IV of Air China Fleet. Yuan Hang was the Chief Copilot.

The crew made an elaborate preparation before the test flight. They made specific studies on fuel ingredients, the differences to traditional fuels, possibilities to flight and special occasion management. Through iterative exercises in simulators, the crew was getting more familiar with such circumstances. All of this contributed important information for the success of the test flight.

The feedstock for this test launch is derived from the jatropha material base of PetroChina. With the technology of UOP, the crude oil of jatropha could be transformed into aviation biofuel. In order to accord with both the standard of GB6537 and ASTM D7566-11 simultaneously, China Aviation Oil mixed aviation biofuel with traditional aviation kerosene by a proportion of 50:50. Boeing and P&W are the technology support providers for the aircraft and engine, respectively.

In recent years, Air China has committed itself to green flight of what energy-saving and emission reduction is highly valued. Through fleet optimisation, second dispatch and a series of other actions, the operation efficiency is advanced, aviation kerosene is saved, and exhaust emission is dwarfed. Aiming at energy-saving and emission reduction, Air China created the Energy and Environment Test System in 2009 by itself, inaugurated its Green Flight in 2010, joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG) and became the first carrier that launched the airplane demonstration test flight for biofuel in China in 2011.