Alternative aircraft fuel

Goodrich Corporation has received a contract from Universal Technology Corporation to evaluate the effects of using alternate fuels in Goodrich fuel measurement and management systems on US Air Force aircraft.

The contract is in support of the US Air Force Alternative Fuels Certification Office's programme to certify all air force aircraft for suitability of operation on synthetic fuels and blends. Work is being performed by Goodrich's Sensors and Integrated Systems team in Vergennes, Vermont.

The initial contract, which runs through November 2008, covers analytical research and testing of the entire fuel system design for F-15 Eagle and F-22 Raptor fighters. Follow-on work is expected to include more than a dozen other aircraft including the F-35 Lightning II fighter, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor.

Goodrich engineers will evaluate the impact on the fuel measuring and other aircraft systems of not only coal-based synthetic kerosene, but also plant/animal oils and other fuels, either alone or blended with JP8 jet fuel.