USAF Certifies First Aircraft for Biofuel Use

Aircraft can operate on up to 50% biofuel mixed with JP-8

The U.S. military is looking to go green across all branches. The USAF has announced that it has certified its first aircraft for use of biofuel. The first aircraft is the C-17 Globemaster III and it has been certified for unlimited usage of hydroprocessed blended bio fuels known as hydrotreated renewable jet (HRJ) fuels.

The aircraft can operate on volumetric blends of up to 50 HRJ fuel with 50% JP-8 jet fuel, which jet aircraft traditionally run on. The aircraft can also operate on 25% HRJ, 25% synthetic paraffinic kerosene fuel, and 50% JP-8.

"We're very proud of this certification," said Terry Yonkers, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics. "By using a 'pathfinder' approach, we've taken the success of our processes developed in our previous alternative fuel certifications work and learned how to efficiently streamline our HRJ certification efforts, while guaranteeing the fuel blend will work without notable difference to the pilots."

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