And It's A Big One ... The C-17 Globemaster III
The C-17 Globemaster III was recently certified for unlimited
usage of hydroprocessed blended biofuels known as hydrotreated
renewable jet fuels, Air Force officials said Wednesday. "This
certification marks the Air Force's first platform to be fully
certified using an HRJ blend," said Dr. Kevin Geiss, the deputy
assistant secretary of the Air Force for energy. "This marks a
significant achievement for the Air Force, our alternative fuel
certification office and our partners in both industry and across
the Department of Defense."
Air Force Photo
The certification for usage of HRJ biofuel blended with
petroleum-based JP-8 fuel represents part of ongoing efforts by Air
Force officials to certify and test biofuels from non-petroleum
sources. The move to certify the fleet using the HRJ blend of fuel
represents the Air Force's commitment to assuring the supply, no
matter the source, meets the service's required standards, and
demonstrates the Air Force's commitment to reducing its dependency
on foreign sources of oil, Dr. Geiss added.
"We're very proud of this certification," said Terry Yonkers,
the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations,
environment and logistics. "By using a 'pathfinder' approach, we've
taken the success of our processes developed in our previous
alternative fuel certifications work and learned how to efficiently
streamline our HRJ certification efforts, while guaranteeing the
fuel blend will work without notable difference to the pilots."
Yonkers added that unlike conventional jet fuel, biofuels burn
cleaner without compounds like sulfur.
According to Jeff Braun, the Air Force's alternative fuel
certification office chief, the blended fuel evaluation that
combined additional analyses from Boeing, Parker ESD and Pratt
& Whitney resulted in no significant differences in engine
stability, thrust response or engine steady-state performance. This
certification clears the C-17 to fly on a volumetric blend of up to
50 percent HRJ fuel with 50 percent JP-8, as well as a blend of 25
percent HRJ, 25 percent synthetic paraffinic kerosene fuel, and 50
percent JP-8, Mr. Braun said. "We expect to conclude HRJ flight
testing within the next 12 months, supporting fleetwide HRJ
certification within the next 22 months," said Braun, adding that
the ground and flight demonstrations performed by the Air Force
flight test center confirmed normal operations using the blended
fuel. "When blended as we've done, this is a potential drop-in
solution for jet fuel for our aircraft, requiring no modification
to systems or special handling or monitoring."
"The Air Force is seeking alternative fuels that are 'greener'
than the existing petroleum fuels paradigm, but don't add to, or
complicate, any logistical considerations for our jet fuel needs,
and have the potential to be cost-competitive," Yonkers said. "And
HRJ blended fuels have us very excited." Yonkers added that Air
Force officials will bring the achievement to their partners within
the DOD and industry, and will work to further integrate efforts on
testing alternative fuels and the certification of platforms. "This
is a big deal," Yonkers said.
ANN Salutes Maj. Richelle Dowdell, Secretary of the Air
Force Public Affairs.