GILZE-RIJEN AIR BASE, Netherlands, June 17 (UPI) -- The Netherlands air force flew its Apache combat helicopter on a blend of bio-kerosene and standard fuel with no engine modifications, Boeing said.
U.S. defense company Boeing announced that its AH-64D Apache became the first rotorcraft to use the sustainable biofuel blend.
"Today is an important milestone for the more intensive usage of sustainable bio-kerosene in aviation," said Dutch Defense Minister Eimert van Middelkoop.
Boeing said the 20-minute flight was made using a 50-50 blend of conventional jet fuel and a biofuel using algae-based biomass and used cooking oil processed by a division of Honeywell.
No modifications were made to the Apache to use the fuel, Boeing added.
Boeing has worked with the Dutch commercial aviation sector to explore biofuels and flew the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet using a similar fuel blend earlier this year.
"This program also will help stimulate market development for aviation biofuel within the Netherlands that can help improve the environmental performance of commercial and military aviation," said Jan Narlinge, president of Boeing Northern Europe.
