USAF makes history with alternate fuel

EGLIN AFB, Fla. (WALA) - As the A-10 Thunderbolt II took to the skies, it set a new milestone for the Department of Defense. It had little to do with the plane itself, but everything to do with what kept it in the air.

As Air Force Pilot Major Chris Seager powered the A-10 off the runway, he made history. This was the first time any jet has taken to the air solely powered by a combination of conventional jet fuel and a biomass-derived fuel. In this test, plant seed oil was used to help power the jet.

Tim Edwards is a chemical engineer with the U.S. Air Force. He's been working forward to this day for two years.

“This particular fuel they’re flying on today is made from the camelina plant. It’s a seed-bearing crop, sort of like a soybean would be but it’s not an edible plant. They grow it in Montana,” Edwards said.

Camelina grows well in all areas where wheat thrives and, according to Edwards, makes a good rotation crop for wheat farmers.

By 2016, the Air Force has a goal of replacing half of it's jet fuel consumption with an alternative fuel blend. Doing this will lessen dependency or foreign oil. This flight was a big step in that direction and USAF Asst. Secretary Terry Yonkers is pleased with the progress so far.

“What we’re hoping for here is that the manufacturers of some of these fuels will build the capability so that we’ll be ready to use it when they’re ready to deliver it,” Yonkers said.

As Major Seager brought the plane in from its hour and a half test flight, the big question for him was, “How did it perform?”

“From my seat back there, I couldn’t tell any difference between that and the JP8 jet fuel we fly every day. So, everything went terrific and I was really happy,” responded Seager.

He didn’t push the plane to it's limits Thursday, but a lot of valuable data was obtained. The data will help the Armed Forces lead the way in supporting the government’s energy plan.

The U.S. Air Force consumes more jet fuel than any other branch of the military, burning through 2.4 billion gallons per year.