Following swiftly on the heels of the Virgin biofuels test Continental Airlines, Boeing and GE Aviation today (13th March) announced plans to conduct a biofuels demonstration flight in the first half of 2009. The biofuel flight will use a Boeing Next-Generation 737 equipped with CFM International CFM56-7B engines. CFM is a 50/50 joint company of General Electric Company and Snecma (SAFRAN Group).

In the months leading up to the flight, Continental, Boeing and GE will work together and with an undisclosed fuel provider to identify sustainable fuel sources that don't impact food crops, water resources or contribute to deforestation, and which can be produced in sufficient quantities to support a pre-flight test schedule that includes laboratory and ground-based jet engine performance testing to ensure compliance with stringent aviation fuel performance and safety requirements.

"Exploring sustainable biofuels is a logical and exciting new step in our environmental commitment. For more than a decade, we have been focused on reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions, while providing industry-leading service to the places our customers want to go," said Mark Moran, Continental Airlines executive vice president of operations. "Boeing and GE Aviation have been frontrunners in pioneering technology that will benefit the aviation industry, customers, and the environment, and we are pleased to benefit from their expertise in this venture."

"Continental has been aggressively pursuing efforts to reduce carbon emissions for years, and continues to focus attention on providing innovative solutions," said Ray Conner, executive vice president, sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "They clearly recognize the need for environmental improvement across the industry and have embraced that challenge through fleet modernization and the economic and social benefits that sustainable environmental technologies can provide to their operations and to their passengers."

"Continental is taking an important step in advancing the use of sustainable biofuels in aviation," said Scott Donnelly, president and CEO of GE Aviation. "Working with our jet engine team at CFM International, GE has considerable experience in evaluating biofuels in jet engines for aviation and in aeroderivative engines for marine and industrial applications. GE and CFM are eager to get started in supporting Continental's exciting program."

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