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Virgin claims first biofuels-powered flight
Virgin Atlantic completed a test flight using biofuel composed of babassu oil and coconut oil.
The Boeing 747-400 flew from Heathrow Airport to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
The aircraft reached an altitude of 25,000 ft – which was the planned highest altitude it would reach using the renewable fuel.
The oils used can both be found in everyday cosmetic products, such as lip balm and shaving cream, and do not compete with staple food sources, according to the airline.
The babassu nuts and coconuts were harvested from existing, mature plantations.
No modifications were made to either the aircraft or its engines to enable the flight to take place, Virgin said.
The airline’s president Sir Richard Branson heralded the flight as a “biofuel breakthrough for the whole of the aviation industryâ€.
He said: “Virgin Atlantic, and its partners, are proving that you can find an alternative to traditional jet fuel and fly a plane on new technology, such as sustainable biofuel.
“This pioneering flight will enable those of us who are serious about reducing our carbon emissions to go on developing the fuels of the future, fuels which will power our aircraft in the years ahead through sustainable next-generation oils, such as algae.â€
by Phil Davies
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