Boeing, South African Airways launch sustainable aviation biofuel effort in Southern Africa

By BA Staff

Boeing and South African Airways (SAA) announced that they will work together to develop and implement a sustainable aviation biofuel supply chain in Southern Africa, a first for the continent.

Courtesy of Boeing

The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding for sustainable aviation biofuel supply chain development at The Corporate Council on Africa's 9th Biennial U.S.-Africa Business, attended by executives from leading U.S. and African firms and government representatives from several countries.

This collaboration between Boeing and SAA is part of the companies' broader efforts to support environmental sustainability for the airline's operations and the commercial aviation industry overall, in addition to advancing South Africa's social and economic development.

Ian Cruickshank, SAA Head of Group Environmental Affairs said: 

 "South African Airways is taking the lead in Africa on sustainable aviation fuels and, by setting a best practice example, can positively shape aviation biofuel efforts in the region. By working with Boeing's sustainable aviation biofuel team, which has a history of successful partnerships to move lower-carbon biofuels closer to commercialization, we will apply the best global technology to meet the unique conditions of Southern Africa, diversify our energy sources and create new opportunities for the people of South Africa."

Boeing has collaborated extensively with airlines, research institutions, governments and other stakeholders to develop road maps for biofuel supply chains in several countries and regions, including the United States, China, Australia and Brazil. The aerospace company's plan to work with SAA is the first such project in Africa.

Julie Felgar, managing director of Environmental Strategy and Integration, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said:

 "Sustainable aviation biofuel will play a central role in reducing commercial aviation's carbon emissions over the long term, and we see tremendous potential for these fuels in Africa. Boeing and South African Airways are committed to investigating feedstocks and pathways that comply with strict sustainability guidelines and can have a positive impact on South Africa's development."

Flight tests show that biofuel, which is derived from organic sources such as plants or algae, performs as well as or better than petroleum-based jet fuel. When produced in sustainable ways, biofuel contributes far less to global climate change than traditional fuels because carbon dioxide (CO2) is pulled out of the atmosphere by a growing plant-based feedstock.

Boeing and SAA believe that new developments in technology will enable the conversion of biomass into jet fuel in a more sustainable manner without competing with other sectors for food and water resources. The World Wildlife Fund-South Africa will monitor and ensure compliance to sustainability principles that would ensure that fuel is sustainable and would lead to genuine carbon reductions.

Aviation biofuel refined to required standards has been approved for a blend of up to 50 percent with traditional jet fuel. Globally, more than 1,500 passenger flights using biofuel have been flown since the fuel was approved.

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High resolution photos of South African Airways A320, French Air Force A400M, Turkish Air Force A400M

Courtesy Airbus S.A.S. some high resolution photos for your enjoyment.

South African Airways takes delivery of its first two A320s 'classic'. Enjoy the livery.

The French Air Force (Armee De L'Air) took delivery of the first A400M transporter.

Not high resolution. The first flight of the first A400M destined for the Turkish Air Force.

All images are courtesy and copyright of Airbus and are used under fair use.

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What are "Hot and High" operations? Why airlines prefer four engined jets.

by Vinay Bhaskara

Image Credit - International Airlines Group (IAG)

One of the most interesting challenges in aviation arises from operations in severe conditions, extreme cold, short runways, and more commonly, operations from so-called “hot and high” airports; airfields with high temperatures that are situated at a high altitude.

This curious phenomenon is actually the impetus behind several seemingly incongruous strategic decisions by airlines. It is the reason that Iberia has not yet abandoned its gas-guzzling fleet of Airbus A340s, and the reason that Aeromexico’s Asian flights originate in Mexico City but make a technical stop along the way in Tijuana.

The problem occurs primarily due to constraints on take-offs and landings, which harken back to the basic physics of aerodynamics. Aircraft generate lift by using power from the engine to flow air over the wings. More specifically on takeoff, the engine burns fuel to heat up the air and flow a large mass of air through the engines; generating thrust, which allows the aircraft to speed up down the runway and climb away from the airfield.

However, hot and high operating conditions change this simple calculus in several ways. Firstly, if the airport is located in a region of high altitude, the air pressure is lower and the air is less dense. This means that, at any given speed (all else being equal), a smaller mass of air is flowing through the engines; so a higher airspeed is required to develop enough thrust to take off with a given payload versus at a sea-level airport. The easiest way for an aircraft to make up for this deficit is to roll further down the runway before taking off; thus high-altitude airports tend to have some of the longest runways in the world (e.g. Denver International Airport, with an altitude of more than 1,655 meters, has a 16,000 foot runway designed to handle larger aircraft with high payloads). Even after taking off, aircraft will struggle to climb away from the airfield due to the lower density of the air (again relating to a dearth of thrust).

A similar problem plagues airports with high temperatures. Once again heating air decreases its density, which causes the same mass of air limitations driven by high altitudes. However, high temperatures present an additional challenge in that jet engines have a maximum temperature that they can heat gas up until (The exhaust gas temperature or EGT). On hotter days, there is less difference between the air temperature and the EGTs, meaning the engine adds less heat through the air than in cooler conditions, once again affecting thrust. Thus, airports in high temperature regions also tend to require longer runways (examples include airports in the Southwestern United States, the middle east, North Africa, and the Indian sub-continent). The current standard estimates that the adverse effects of high temperatures kick in en-mass when temperatures rise above 30 degrees Celsius.

It is when these two conditions are combined, that a particularly dangerous cocktail arises; the hot and high airport. When temperatures are high at high altitudes, engine thrust performance deteriorates heavily because the air density is even lower. It is little wonder that such conditions are amongst the most challenging in the world for airlines to operate to and from, even more so when their central hub is located at such an airport. Perhaps the most famous hot and high airports in the world are Mexico City and Johannesburg, home to Aeromexico and South African Airways respectively, as well as several airports in Africa and South America (the core markets for Iberia’s long haul operations).

Bangalore, the home to this site, is another challenging airport for hot and high operations. Located at an altitude of 3,000 ft and thanks to indiscriminate development which has denuded the green cover, the former temperate paradise, frequently tops 35 degrees Celsius or 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It is not uncommon to see smaller Code-C aircraft (Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s) have take-off runs exceeding 3,000 meters (approx. 10,000 ft) during the peak hot hours from around noon to 4pm.

This explains why Iberia and South African Airways have held onto their fleets of 4-engined Airbus A340 aircraft longer than other airlines; quad-jets perform better in hot and high conditions. The reason is mainly due to a worst case scenario; loss of power in one engine.

It really comes down to the fact that if a quad-jet loses one engine, it still has 75% of its maximum thrust, while twin-jets like the Boeing 777s and A330s in the same situation will have only 50% of their engine power available in a failure scenario. Thus the quad-jets can carry more payload given runway length constraints at many of these airports (this used to be a major problem at Mariscal Sucre Airport in Quito).

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South African Airways to operate additional flights to meet IPL2 travel demands

South African Airways (SAA) will operate six additional flights between India and South Africa between May 18 through 26, using the higher capacity Airbus A340-600 to meet the growing demand for the semi-final and finals of the Indian Premier League season 2 (IPL2) cricket extravaganza.

In cricket crazy India, there is a sudden escalation in the demand on the India - South Africa route thanks to the shifting of the venue of IPL2 from India to South Africa which was forced due to the on-going general elections in India. More than 2,500 passengers are expected to make the journey.

The Airbus 340-600 aircraft complementing the existing Airbus 340-200 based services, features seating for 42 passengers in Business Class and 275 seats in economy.

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South African Airways crew detained at London Heathrow after drugs discovery

Agence France-Presse is reporting, the entire crew of a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg to London Heathrow, were arrested Tuesday after about $450,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine were found in their suitcases, by British customs officials.

As per officials, British customs agents found 110 pounds (50 kilograms) of cannabis, worth about $210,000, and 9 pounds (4 kilograms) of cocaine, worth about $240,000, in three suitcases, when the crew was passing a customs clearance point at London Heathrow airport, around 8AM.

The agents first found the cannabis in the suitcases, and additional searches revealed a white powder that tested positive for cocaine. All 15 members of the plane’s flight and cabin crew, 10 women and five men, were arrested.

Customs spokesperson Mr. Gaiger said

“Interviews will be taking place and will probably go into tomorrow, and then we will decide whether we are going to charge anyone,”

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