Earth Day - F/A-18 Biofuel Burner

From Navy.mil - History in the making "Earth Day" "Green Hornet" F/A-18 running
50/50 Biofuel Blend.
Doesn't look very green (color) to me...hi hi!
- Tom -

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=52768

Navy Tests Biofuel-Powered 'Green Hornet'
Story Number: NNS100422-17 Release Date: 4/22/2010 3:30:00 PM
From Liz Wright, Navy Office of Information

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy celebrated Earth Day April 22 by showcasing a flight
test of the "Green Hornet," an F/A-18 Super Hornet multirole fighter jet powered by a
biofuel blend.

The test, conducted at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., drew hundreds of
onlookers, including Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, who has made the exploration
and adoption of alternative fuels a priority for the Navy and Marine Corps.

Mabus observed the flight and tracked its data from a Project Engineering Station at
the air station's Atlantic Test Range. After the jet landed, he met the pilot, Lt.
Cmdr. Tom Weaver, of Billerica, Mass.

"The alternative fuels test program is a significant milestone in the certification
and ultimate operational use of biofuels by the Navy and Marine Corps," said Mabus.
It's important to emphasize, especially on Earth Day, the Navy's commitment to
reducing dependence on foreign oil as well as safeguarding our environment. Our Navy,
alongside industry, the other services and federal agency partners, will continue to
be an early adopter of alternative energy sources."

The Green Hornet runs on a 50/50 blend of conventional jet fuel and a biofuel that
comes from camelina, a hardy U.S.-grown plant that can thrive even in difficult soil.

The Defense Energy Support Center, which oversees procurement of biofuel for the
Navy, recently awarded a $2.7 million contract to Sustainable Oils of Seattle and
Bozeman, Mont., for 40,000 gallons of camelina-based fuel. The Navy's ultimate goal
is to develop protocols to certify alternative fuels for use in its aircraft and ships.

"The aircraft flew exactly as we expected- no surprises," said Weaver, F/A-18 project
officer for Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 and pilot for the Earth Day
flight test. "The fuel works so well, all I needed to do was just fly the plane."

"Our mission today and for the rest of the flight tests is to confirm that the fuel
makes no difference in performance across the Super Hornet's entire flight envelope,
from subsonic to supersonic operations," said Mark Swierczek, Naval Air Systems
Command propulsion flight test engineer. "Preliminary results show there was no
difference in engine ops attributable to the biofuel. Engine performance is normal
and as expected."

The Navy Fuels Lab at Patuxent River is developing certification standards for a
variety of renewable, alternative fuel sources.

"These flight tests are part of an extensive test and evaluation process that started
last fall," said Rick Kamin, the Navy's Fuels team lead. "The fuel's chemical and
physical properties were first analyzed in the lab, followed by component and engine
performance testing - and now in a series of flight tests covering the entire flight
envelope of the Super Hornet – including supersonic operations."

According to Kamin, final approval and certification for the camelina-based biofuel
could take an additional six to nine months after flight test April 22. The Earth Day
flight test is one of 15 planned test flights requiring approximately 23 flight-hours
to complete, starting in mid-April 2010 and completing by mid-June 2010. The Earth
Day flight lasted about 45 minutes.

The Green Hornet biofuel program is the first aviation test program to test and
evaluate the performance of a 50/50 biofuel blend in supersonic (above mach 1)
operations – a critical test point to successfully clear the F/A-18 E/F for biofuel
operations through its entire flight envelope. Once successfully demonstrated on the
F/A-18 F414 engine, the Navy will expand its certification efforts to other Navy and
Marine Corps aircraft and Navy tactical systems.

Photo Caption -
100422-N-XXXXS-001
PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (April 22, 2010) The Navy celebrates Earth Day by showcasing a
supersonic flight test of the "Green Hornet," an F/A-18 Super Hornet strike fighter
jet powered by a 50/50 biofuel blend. The test, conducted at Naval Air Station
Patuxent River, Md., drew hundreds of onlookers that included Secretary of the Navy
Ray Mabus, who has made research, development, and increased use of alternative fuels
a priority for the Department of the Navy. (U.S. Navy photo by Kelly Schindler/Released)

On Thu, 22 Apr 2010 22:42:09 -0400, Tom wrote:

From Navy.mil - History in the making "Earth Day" "Green Hornet" F/A-18 running
50/50 Biofuel Blend.
Doesn't look very green (color) to me...hi hi!
- Tom -

....and they needed KATO to get it off the ground...

"Bob (not my real pseudonym)" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 22 Apr 2010 22:42:09 -0400, Tom wrote:

From Navy.mil - History in the making "Earth Day" "Green Hornet" F/A-18
running
50/50 Biofuel Blend.
Doesn't look very green (color) to me...hi hi!
- Tom -

It is the lighting...