Raimo Toivio wrote:
> My friend Mr Jarmo Hakala made a succesfull 40 minutes flight with his
> only-one-in-the-world
> Pik 25 OH-XXV powered with 100% Bio-Diesel. Fuel was regenerated from
> vegetable
oil
> and those people who were there said the smell after take-off was similar to
McDonalds.
My car drives at 100% Bio-Diesel, but I wouldn't dare to try it in an
airplane. There are lot's of unsolved issues and threats to the engine
and fuel system. The fuel may contain fatty acids, consuming the fuel
pump inards at a slowly pace. There can be a lot of moisture in the
fuel, and the fuel is quite capable to hide it (contains some natural
emulgators), and release it when the temperature gets colder or the
ambient pressure changes. I guess I don't have to explain the
differences between airplanes and cars on this forum... ;-) Some of the
liquid fats solidify when the temperature decreases. You might well
discover at your cruise altitude that the contents of the fuel tank
suddenly converts into solid grease. The only advantage is that it won't
burst into flames at the subsequent forced landing, but is actually
quite helpfull into making this into a "smooth" event.
> That was probably first time in the aviation history.
I'm not seeing a future here, unless someone sets up an aviation
standard to which the fuel must comply, and you can get fuel certified
to that standard.
Best regards,
Frans Veldman
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