AviationGeeks.com - Finnair flies today from Amsterdam to Helsinki using biofuel

Finnair will today fly the world’s longest commercial flight to date using biofuel. In the next few weeks, Finnair will fly a series of four flights using biofuel in both engines of its aircraft.

For Finnair, it is important to find an ecologically, financially and socially sustainable fuel solution and this is one step towards more sustainable flying. Biofuels are constantly being improved in all of the above-mentioned areas of sustainability, and current investments are playing an important role in development work.

"Biofuel use is still not financially sustainable, because biofuel is more expensive than ordinary aviation fuel and no large-scale production or distribution has yet been established. Finnair, moreover, does not receive any kind of financial support to use biofuel, unlike some other airlines," says Finnair’s Vice President Sustainable Development Kati Ihamäki.

Most of the environmental impact of flying arises from engine emissions, so investment on research into alternative fuels is a natural way to seek to reduce environmental loading. The term biofuel means a fuel made from a renewable, organic raw material. The plants used in its manufacture bind carbon dioxide, which is released back into the atmosphere when the biofuel is burned.

In its first biofuel flights, Finnair is using in both engines of its aircraft SkyNRG biofuel manufactured from recycled biomass. The fuel mixture used is half biofuel and half ordinary aviation fuel. The SkyNRG biofuel used by Finnair is manufactured from cooking oil recycled from restaurants.

SkyNRG biofuel has been exhaustively researched and it fulfils all of the quality and safety requirements set for jet fuel. The fuel mixture used is certified in the same class as ordinary aviation fuel.

Finnair’s first biofuel flight, AY846 from Amsterdam to Helsinki, departs from Amsterdam at 18:50 local time and arrives in Helsinki at 22:10. The flight will be operated with an Airbus A319 aircraft.

"Our sector’s goal is to find sustainable biofuel solutions so we do not compete with food, land nor water and these Finnair flights are a step in that direction," said Andrea Debbane, Airbus head of Environmental Affairs. "Airbus is at the forefront in helping to speed up the commercialisation of biofuels for aviation and these latest passenger flights are proof that we have already come a long way."

Source: Finnair