Can Richard Branson Save Aviation?

Admittedly, I already liked Richard Branson. He's got the accent, long (but not too long) wavy locks, and that I-know-I'm-good swagger. His brand is him.

And Virgin has to be the sexiest airline. Wouldn't we all want to fly Upper Class, their version of first class? Ah, the finer things in life, such as being picked up by private car and swept off to a private screening entry at the airport, mingling at a hip bar over the Atlantic, getting a massage from the on-board beauty therapist, a lie-flat bed... Ok, the price tag is more than my average paycheck, so I'm not likely to get to fly Upper Class any time soon. But I'll take even Virgin's Premium Economy with its sleek interiors, purple leather seats, individual entertainment, meals and more, as well as flight attendants who smile and wear uniforms with a fashionable bent. (Need I go on?) Yet last week when I heard about Branson's latest feat - flying a 747 airplane from London to Amsterdam on 20 percent bio-diesel fuel - I had to say "Hallelujah!"

Then I had this thought: Can Richard Branson save aviation with his courageous ideas and bravado? Can we really fly around the world with less carbon guilt? It's more than this bio-diesel experiment. Branson is also an advocate for towing planes to the runways, saving substantial fuel by waiting to power up the engines until just before takeoff. Plus, according to Virgin, they have ordered a number of Boeing's Dreamliner jets because they're 20 percent more fuel efficient. Perhaps then it's not so surprising that aviation giant Boeing has announced that it will speed up plans to find a more efficient alternative fuel for its planes. Boeing participated as a partner in Branson's biodiesel demonstration.

But Branson doesn't own this maverick stance. In fact, there are others who think out of the box. Branson may have the biggest audience yet, but I discovered that his was not the first flight that has ever flown on bio-diesel. Last year, there was a Czech made airplane that flew on bio-diesel as part of an idea that the Green Flight International founder hatched as a way to get alternative (environmentally friendly) fuel sources adopted in aviation and other areas. An article at ScientificAmerican.com reported that one of Green Flight International's test trips flew entirely on cooking oil.

Now we're not to the promised land yet. Branson admitted that this version of bio-fuel is not commercially viable, and that more affordable sources are needed, perhaps from cellulosic or algae-based oils. But it's a start.

Learning all this, I felt like there's a ray of sun at the end of the carbon tunnel. Greenies (my word for eco-capitalists and eco-consumers) can save the planet yet. Good for Branson. At a $100 bucks a barrel, I bet lots of other airlines watched that flight to Amsterdam and maybe some will actually be inspired to innovate as well. And while this may not truly impact your next flight may this be the start of commercial viability for alternative fuel because we have to start somewhere.

For more of Amy's blogs visit The Window Seat blog .

Comments

[WilliePilgrim]

I do love this Branson fellow, but I don't think we will see the kind of oil production from agriculture that will supply the airline industry. It's a great way to explore alternate sources and for that I applaud his efforts, but really, the original idea was to use waste material, not crops grown on land that should be used to make food more accessible, which is what would happen if this went to a large scale, just as we see with our current ethanol situation where we are in essence burning food in our cars. It's sick...the good news is that better technology will emerge as fuel producing biology is explored and made practical.­..in the mean time, keep up the great work.

[DocManhattan]

I think you're giving Branson a little too much credit here, Amy. He's not the one driving these changes in the aviation industry -- he's just one of aviation's rock stars, so the light of publicity shines more brightly on him than, say, on Airbus's recent trial of natural gas-based GTL fuel on the A380, or on the plans by a company called Solar Impulse to fly a manned, solar-powered aircraft non-stop around the world.

You should also know that IATA, the industry body that includes all the world's major airlines, has declared its intent to turn aviation into a carbon-neutral industry "in the medium term", targeting zero emissions within 50 years. This has come partly in response to pressure from the environmental lobby and politicians, but also because of the rocketing price of jet fuel.

So yes, the news is encouraging. I don't know what other industries have set themselves such ambitious targets, but here's hoping ...

[Biofuelsimon]

I too like the idea of Virgin Upper Class, I'm flying London JFK with Air India over the week end, (but our travel policy specifies the cheapest fare too, ho hum). I also like the way that he is looking at biofules, but I think he might be looking at the wrong ones. One of the components that went into the one engine that flew from London to Amsterdam was made from an edible nut. The odds are that there is already a market for that nut, somewhere in the Amazon Basin, and when Richard drawls his order for several tonnes, I'm going to guess that the price will rise. Why aren't we looking at domestic waste as the starting point for our future fuels?

[DMSmith]

I'm watching this avidly! I bought a used Mercedes-Benz diesel sedan - an incredible car - and drive it on 99+% bio diesel. I do it now and so can you.

Bio-diesel is safe to keep at home, so you can refuel at home. My car runs much better on the bio. It is faster off the line, idles more smoothly, has a higher top speed by 10-15 mph, and will last much longer (and this engine already can go 700k to a million miles without coughing).

And in the bargain, I'm driving one of the finest and safest cars made.

What's not to love?