Mexico's Interjet operates biofuel test flight

Mexico's Interjet earlier this month operated an Airbus A320 partially powered by biofuel on a test flight between Mexico City and Tuxtla Gutierrez. According to Airbus, which provided support for the flight along with CFM International, one of the A320's two CFM56 engines was powered by a fuel blend comprised 30% of a Jatropha-based biofuel sourced from plants harvested in the Mexican state of Chiapas. Honeywell's UOP processed the biofuel.

"The aim of the demonstration flight and the project is to speed up the commercialization of aviation biofuel in Mexico," Airbus stated. Interjet President Miguel Aleman added in a statement, "The test flight is the realization of a two-year ambition for Interjet to develop a production chain for renewable biofuel, with the purpose of creating a Mexican platform for sustainable aviation biokerosene." Interjet follows a number of carriers worldwide that have conducted biofuel demonstration flights (ATW Daily News, Feb. 1).