| On the verge of several new inventions Virgin | | | | babassu plant, prepared by Seattle-based Imperium |
| Atlantic Boeing 747 was tested to fly on Biofuel. It | | | | Renewable over the last 18 months and tested by |
| was the first commercial jet ever to fly on Biofuel, a | | | | General Electric Aviation in Ohio. |
| fuel produced from plant matter instead of petroleum | | | | Commenting against the people who were stating |
| or other fossil fuels. | | | | this incidence as mere publicity stunt, people said that |
| This plane was tested with five people on board on | | | | it was just a businesses claim, meant merely as a |
| one of London Heathrow's two main runways. There | | | | demonstration. Branson told reporters, "What we're |
| were around 100 people watching to evidence this | | | | proving today is that Biofuel can be used for a |
| event standing on a nearby hangar. Virgin founder, | | | | plane," He further added, "Two years ago, people |
| Richard Branson told reporters just before its take | | | | said it was absolutely impossible." |
| off that, "This is the first stage on a journey | | | | It was also feared that Biofuel would freeze before a |
| towards renewable fuel," His voice was not clear | | | | plane reached cruising altitude, or that it would require |
| because of deafening noise of overhead planes. | | | | massive and costly changes to the aircraft or fueling |
| For experiment purpose, Virgin's eco-plane ran only | | | | systems to work at all. Those all believes were |
| one engine with that fuel and the other three engines | | | | proved wrong with this successful experiment. The |
| were filled with standard jet fuel. In addition the | | | | fuel used by Virgin did not require any equipment |
| Biofuel-powered engine was using a blend of | | | | modifications and it flew to 25,000 feet (7,600 m) |
| conventional jet fuel and Biofuel: 80/20 in favor of | | | | without incident; and the environmental benefits |
| the regular stuff. In sum just 5% of the 49,000-lb | | | | seem clear, at least once the fuel is loaded onto the |
| (22,000 kg) fuel load consisted of the novelty: a | | | | plane. |
| special mix of coconut oil and oil from the Brazilian | | | | |