When the six F/A-18 Hornets in the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team thrill the crowds at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River Air Expo in Maryland this weekend, they'll be soaring on biofuel.
Each of the six Hornets will be powered by a 50/50-blend of jet fuel and camelina-based biofuel, according to a Navy press release.
Camelina is a high-oil flowering plant grown in rotation on land used for wheat and on land too marginal for food production, according to Sustainable Oils, the company providing it to the military. Sustainable Oils says camelina can also reduce carbon emissions by 80% over jet fuel.
The camelina mix has been successfully tested in several military aircraft, including the Air Force's A-10 Thunderbolt, F-15 Eagle, F-22 Raptor and C-17 Globemaster, as well as the Navy F/A-18. Two Air Force F-16s from the Thunderbirds demonstration team flew with the mix during a performance in May, the service and Sustainable Fuels said.
"This will be the first time an entire unit has flown on a biofuel mix," Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in the Navy release. "Changing the kinds of fuels we use and the way we use them is critical to assuring the Navy and Marine Corps remain the most formidable expeditionary fighting force the world has ever known."
By 2016, the Navy plans to deploy the Great Green Fleet, an aircraft carrier strike group powered entirely by non-fossil fuels, Mabus has said.
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The world is an angel, and I am its wings.
Guys, You have no Idea how upset I am! They where here in upstate about a month ago and practicing right around my job site. I had the phone cam out and everything! at one point I was standing on the sidewalk next to my building and all 3 had been banking it, in front, all the sudden I see them appear from behind the building and couldn't lift my phone up fast enough to catch it. dang nabbit ... I could posted it here, woulda been perfect. O well, there's always next year.
awwww, Cesar, you are indeed... Good morning to you buddy!
I ALWAYS wondered what happen to old camels... they get ground up into camelina and turned into rocket fuel....
I saw the Navy Blue Angels in Florida a decade ago. Brilliant!
RUFFLES, how ya doing this fine morning, Pal
Hug ...
great.. cept i have a bounty on my head now... knuck is after me and my space ships..
? who is knuck, I haven't been posting or reading for the past week.
there is one guy that is after me most of all.. i think it is "issac asimov" he has been espinogineing me a bunch.. luckly i keep my space ships that i control safely outta the 6 galaxy...
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knuck is an alliance of evil space captains... in andromeda..
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they are at war with ddc.. goto -> ogame"dot"org universe andromeda.united kindom server...
Hi Jazzz hi RuffNutt.
wooo, ok, I'll get to that one today for sure, just want have some concept of what your talking about. He he
Hi again Cesar, hope life"s treating you well.
join my allamce "gkop" golden knights of prosperity... and together we will rule the universe!!! dont do like darth vaders girl and chicken out...
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My alliance will always be with you RUFFLES
OTAY
hello.. think one of those blue angel jet engines would fit in the back of my car?
I'll be there, to help ya shove it in, if you let me test it out . lol
my car could be just like the batmobile...only faster...
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sure officer i'll pull over... "winks",,,, then activatesjet engine... swoosh-> 300 mph later no cop in sight...