Air Force to try out a new kind of jet fuel

The B-52 bomber, built in the 1950s when jet fuel cost a quarter a gallon, guzzles 47,000 gallons in a single mission - that's a $100,000 fill-up. The Air Force will begin test flights that could represent a major step in the Pentagon's plan to find less costly sources of fuel. A B-52 will take off with two of its engines burning a new blend that may eventually replace the oil-based kerosene formula that has powered jet engines since they were invented.

The test flight, which will be observed by top military officials and airline executives, will mark the first time a U.S. aircraft will attempt to fly using fuel not refined from oil. The fuel being tested is a 50-50 blend of traditional crude-oil based jet fuel and a synthetic liquid, which is made from natural gas but eventually will be refined from coal mined in the U.S.

Gary Gamino, director of investor relations for the fuel producer, Syntroleum, said the company would not know the actual cost of the fuel until a full-scale production plant was built. But he added that the business could achieve acceptable returns if crude oil prices were higher than $50 a barrel. For its part, the Air Force wants to help create a commercial market for the fuel and envisions purchasing up to 100 million gallons of the fuel by 2008. It has bought 100,000 gallons so far for testing. By 2016, the Pentagon hopes to get about half of its aviation fuel from alternative sources.

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