Wild green yonder? A 747 fuelled partly by coconuts

Billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson unveiled what he called the start of a new, cleaner, era for the airline industry Sunday: a flight partly fuelled by a clear liquid derived from coconuts and the Amazonian babassu tree.

The London-to-Amsterdam flight by a Virgin Atlantic 747 jumbo jet was powered by three tanks filled with standard jet fuel and a fourth tank carrying a blend of 80 per cent standard fuel and 20 per cent oil from the coconut and Amazon babassu nut.

The crossing – the first known commercial flight using biofuel – was billed by Sir Richard, founder and president of Virgin Atlantic, as a milestone in aviation history and a major move toward a viable alternative fuel that will help the airline sector reduce its carbon footprint.

“Today marks a vital breakthrough for the whole airline industry,” he said during a ceremony at London's Heathrow Airport.

Beatrice Olivastri, head of Friends of the Earth Canada, said in an interview that “There isn't going to be one magic bullet and biofuel is only a small part of the bigger problem. The aviation sector is not known for its leadership on climate change.”

She said numerous alternative measures are already available, such as more efficient global traffic control and the introduction of more fuel-efficient aircraft.

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