It’s official. Aviation biofuels will be a reality in just a few weeks after the specification setting body ASTM last week gave an interim decision that airlines can start using biofuels for passenger flights. This is a very important moment in the process to get biofuels in our aircraft and substantially reduce emissions from aviation and, following [...]

The last few weeks have been quite busy with even more airlines and groups signing up to develop sustainable biofuels. First up we have OriginOil, which is working with the Mexican government to turn algae into a source of renewable aviation jet fuel. The company is working with the Mexican government in its ambition to [...]

In the news over the last week was the announcement from Southwest Airlines that they have begun using Required Navigation Performance at 11 airports in the United States. This four-year project, which has involved Boeing, GE, and Honeywell involves satellite-based navigation that brings together GPS (Global Positioning System) and new flight procedures in order to [...]

At this year’s Berlin and Farnborough Air Shows, EADS showcased the world’s first flight of an aircraft powered by pure biofuel made from algae. To great acclaim, a Diamond DA42 New Generation aircraft powered by two Austro AE300 engines took part in the daily flight demonstrations.  Only minor modifications and adjustments have to be made [...]

Continuing our series of Farnborough interviews, Boeing’s Managing Director of Environmental Strategy, Bill Glover, talks about the use of biofuels today and offers insight into the future of green aviation.

This week, the JAL Group was awarded the "Eco-First" title by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan for the airline’s various environmental conservation initiatives. These initiatives include fleet renewal, engine washing, the use of ecological, advanced flight operation methods such as User Preferred Route and Continuous Descend Approach, and the development of commercially-viable biofuel. [...]

This week, Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut has been attracting attention with his latest project ‘Hydrogenase’ – a futuristic design for modern buildings in the form of giant airships suspended under balloons covered in algae. These emission-free airships are powered entirely by hydrogen generated from sunlight and CO2 and are designed to hover over the South [...]

This Wednesday, representatives from airports across the U.S. came together for a ‘Green Airports’ seminar, hosted by South Carolina’s  Department of Health and Environmental Control and launched under the Green Airports Initiative. The seminar educated airports on how they can become more environmentally friendly and reduce their operating costs through the promotion of alternative fuels, [...]

Heathrow airport has been working on their latest initiative designed to cut emissions at the same time as improving the comfort and convenience at the airport. This initiative comes in the form of the Urban Light Transport (ULTra) – “a personal rapid transit” system in the form of driverless, electrically-powered "taxi pods" which transport people [...]

This week the aviation industry has had its focus on developing alternative energy both on the ground and in the air. East Midlands Airport announced plans to have four giant wind turbines built by the end of this year, which will be used to generate electricity for the airport. The turbines will generate 900 kilowatt [...]