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"Not looking to be left out of the biofuel party, Air Canada is the latest to try out the eco-friendly alternative for its jet engines. An Airbus A319 will make the outfit's pseudo-sustainable flight from Toronto to Mexico City powered by a 50 / 50 mixture of the aforementioned material and regular ol' jet fuel. This particular blend is derived from recycled cooking oil and meets all standards to avoid any modifications to the aircraft's existing systems -- while still offering a 40 percent cut in emissions. In addition to green-powered trips, the airline is implementing several other measures to improve its impact on Mother Nature, including the use of iPads over paper documents for pilots. Here's to hoping that the company will be fueling it's own 787s with the blend in the near future.  [Thanks, Renaud]Show full PR text      Air Canada to Conduct First Flight with Sustainable Biofuel     Cooking Oil-Powered Flight Expected to Reduce Emissions 40 per cent or more     MONTREAL, June 18, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - Air Canada will operate its first flight with biofuel today to highlight the airline's commitment to the environment. Flight AC991 from Toronto to Mexico City is expected to generate at least 40 per cent fewer emissions by using jet fuel derived from recycled cooking oil and through other fuel-saving measures, making it the most environmentally-friendly flight ever flown by Air Canada. The flight is supported by Airbus and is part of an environmental demonstration by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to coincide with the Rio +20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.     \"Air Canada fully accepts its responsibility to reduce its footprint and our first flight using biofuel tangibly demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the environment. Since 1990 our airline has become 30 per cent more fuel efficient and we are determined to increase these gains through cutting-edge measures such as those being showcased with this Toronto-Mexico City flight, our greenest ever,\" said Duncan Dee, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Air Canada. \"The flight, supported by Airbus, will link with other biofuel flights from Canada to Rio de Janeiro arranged under the auspices of ICAO to underscore the aviation industry's commitment to the environment at the UN sustainability conference.\"     \"Today's flight with Air Canada proves that the aviation industry is in a strong position to reduce emissions,\" said Fabrice Br&amp;eacute;gier, Airbus President and CEO. \"To make this a day-to-day commercial reality, it requires now a political will to foster incentives to scale up the use of sustainable biofuels and to accelerate the modernization of the air-traffic-management system. We need a clear endorsement by governments and all aviation stakeholders to venture beyond today's limitations.\"     Today's AC991 will be a normal revenue flight operated with an Airbus A319 aircraft using a 50/50 mix of regular and biofuel derived from recycled cooking oil. This blend produced by SkyNRG has been recertified to normal jet fuel standards and can be safely used without modifying the aircraft's systems.     Flight AC991 is being operated as part of ICAO's Flightpath to a Sustainable Future. In addition to alternative fuel, Air Canada will also use other techniques and measures it has adopted to reduce the flight's environmental impact. These include:     Pre-flight maintenance preparation:   Fuselage wash and wax to improve aerodynamics   Interior clean and reconciliation of service items to reduce excess weight   Installation of lightweight aisle carpet   Engine compressor wash to increase efficiency   iPad Electronic Flight Bag in lieu of paper documents for pilots to save weight     Pre-flight operations:   Minimizing emissions from on-board Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) through use of ground power at gate and use of conditioned air   Streamlining push-back procedures to reduce fuel usage   Taxiing the aircraft to the runway with one engine   Minimizing taxi time to runway     Take-off:   Reduced thrust take-off   Air conditioning adjusted to save power     Climb:   Immediate turn towards destination   Optimized climb to optimal cruise altitude     Cruise:   Optimized cruise speed and altitude   Most direct routing through Canadian, US, and Mexican airspace   Use of live weather updates accessed through iPad for re-routing due to weather     Descent:   Constant descent using optimized descent rate along most direct routing     Arrival:   Direct taxi to gate with minimal delay   Taxiing the aircraft with one engine   Minimizing use of APU at gate through use of ground power."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/19/air-canada-first-biofuel-powered-flight/>