Development of Alternative Jet Fuel Advances

FAA Acting Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning and the Environment Nancy LoBue said this important step could lead to approval of a number of alternative fuels in the next few years and she is confident this will help lower aviations carbon footprint as part of the Next Generation (NextGen) Air Transportation System Plan. Supported by the FAA-industry sponsored Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International subcommittee has approved a new specification that details the properties and criteria necessary to control the manufacture and quality of alternative fuels for safe use in aviation. Once approved by the full ASTM committee later this year, the specification will enable use of synthetic fuels from multiple feed stocks in combination with conventional jet fuel up to a 50 percent blend. The group plans follow-on work building on todays new specification to enable approval of a number of jet fuels options in the next few years. The FAA will continue to participate actively to ensure that any new fuel specification approved meets or exceeds current standards for safety and performance.