Boeing and the Dutch HA made the first combat helicopter flight using biofuel

The Apache "Longbow" helicopter of the Dutch Air Force made its first flight using kerosene-based biofuel

The Boeing company announced that the Apache AH-64D "Longbow" combat helicopter in the service of the Dutch Air Force last night performed the first helicopter flight in the world using a biofuel based on crosan.

Dozens of journalists and industry executives watched the flight, which lasted about 20 minutes, and was managed by the Gilze-Rijen base, the mother base of the Dutch fighter helicopters.

The biofuel with which the Apache helicopter was flown was composed of algae-based biomass and used cooking oil, which is processed by Honeywell's subsidiary UOP into a paraffin-crosan-based biosynthetic fuel (Bio-SPK) that was previously used for civilian test flights on biofuel. In the series of test flights, the fuel consisting of 50% biological components met the JP-8 standard levels with great success. No changes were required to the engine or the body of the helicopter to fly it using the biofuel.

"We at Boeing are proud of the extraordinary achievement within the framework of alternative fuel development, which was done in collaboration with the Dutch Air Force, the Honeywell company and the engine manufacturer GE Aviation," said Al Wynn, vice president of the Apache program at Boeing, during the maiden flight. "Boeing's customers, both civilian and military, are very interested in adopting alternative solutions to fossil fuels, as we demonstrated today with the Apache helicopter flight, which was carried out in an exceptional manner."

The Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Aimert van Middelkopf, joined in the congratulations, "This is an unprecedentedly important milestone for the introduction of biofuel for use in the aviation sector."

The biofuel program of the Dutch Air Force includes seven test flights, which are intended to prove the technical ability to fly helicopters using an alternative fuel, which does not have a negative effect on food and drink sources. The Dutch Ministry of Defense, in charge of the test flight program, announced its commitment to reducing the impact of military aviation on the environment.

Boeing, a member of an international research initiative to develop alternative solutions for jet fuel, was involved in all stages of the Dutch program to fly the Apache helicopter using alternative fuel, starting from the planning and testing stages and ending with technical advice thanks to its extensive experience in the use of biofuels. Back in 2009, Boeing participated in the flight of the Boeing 747 of the Dutch airline KLM using biofuel, as well as in the US Navy's program to fly the F/A-18 Super Hornet as part of the "Environment Day" celebrations that year. In addition, Boeing supports four different "green" programs for flying different aircraft using alternative fuels.