China Airlines has become the second airline to join a programme to use a blend of traditional and sustainable biofuels to power aircraft for delivery flights from Airbus.
China Airlines has become the second airline, after Cathay Pacific, to join a programme to use a blend of traditional and sustainable biofuels to power aircraft for delivery flights from Airbus.
The aircraft involved is the tenth A350-900 for China Airlines, which left the manufacturer’s delivery centre in Toulouse on 1st December for its new home in Taipei with a 10% blend of sustainable jet fuel in its tanks.
The sustainable fuel option for delivery flights has been developed by Airbus in association with Air Total, the aviation subsidiary of the global energy operator. In order to store the product, Air Total has installed the first ever biofuel station adjacent to the Airbus delivery centre in Toulouse.
A total of 21 aircraft have so far been delivered by Airbus since the facility was inaugurated in May 2016.
In addition to Toulouse, Airbus is now working towards introducing the option for the use of biofuels for delivery flights from its facilities in Hamburg, Germany and Mobile, U.S. First deliveries from these sites are scheduled for 2018. The option will also subsequently become available from the company’s facility in Tianjin, China.