Alternative Aviation Fuels Q&A

Commercial aviation helps drive more than 10M American jobs and 5 cents of every dollar of U.S. GDP
Commercial aviation drives more than $1 trillion per year in economic activity
In 2012, U.S. airlines moved more than 48,000 tons of cargo per day
In 2012, the value of a kilogram of U.S. merchandise exported by air averaged 121 times the value exported by sea
For every 100 airline jobs, some 360 are supported outside of the airline industry
Federal taxes constitute $61 – or 20% – of the price of a typical $300 domestic round-trip ticket
In 2011, U.S. airlines carried 16 percent more passengers and cargo using 10 percent less fuel than in 2000
Domestically, airlines drive 5% of economic activity but account for 2% of man-made GHG emissions
From 2000-2011, airlines reduced GHG emissions by 11% while transporting 16% more passengers and cargo
From 1975-2011, U.S. airlines and their partners reduced significant noise exposure by 99%
Commercial air travel is the safest form of intercity transportation in the United States
In the most recent decade, scheduled air service on U.S. airlines was seven times safer than in the 1970s
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines improved the on-time arrival rate from 72.6% to 81.9%
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines reduced the flight cancellation rate sharply from 3.30% to 1.29%
Airfares are a bargain: From 2000-2012, U.S. CPI rose 33% while average domestic fare rose just 13%
Adjusted for inflation, the average round-trip domestic airfare fell 15% from 2000
2007 domestic flight delays cost the United States approximately $31 billion
In 2012, the value of U.S. merchandise exported by air reached an all-time high of $427B
In 2012, U.S. exports of air-travel services reached an all-time high of $39.5B, driving a $5.1B trade surplus
In 2012, U.S. passenger and cargo airlines spent more than $50B on fuel, averaging 36% of operating expenses
In 2012, U.S. airlines posted the lowest annual rate of mishandled baggage ever recorded
FAA projects U.S. air travel demand to top 1 billion passengers in 2027
In 2012, US airlines flew 83.4 million passengers in scheduled international service - a record high
In 2012, the total value of merchandise exported from or imported to the United States by air exceeded $927 billion
In 2012, 7.15 teragrams of merchandise was exported from or imported to the United States by air

	Alternative Aviation Fuels Q&A
	PubZone1 What kind of fuel do airlines currently use? Modern jet aircraft flown by passenger and cargo airlines use a petroleum-based fuel generally referred to as “Jet A” or “Jet A-1.” How long will it be before planes can fly with alternative fuel? Continental Airlines conducted a successful Boeing 737 test flight using Jet A, algae oil and jatropha on January 7, 2009. JetBlue is in the planning stages of its own test, using an Airbus 320. While there may be more test flights to come, our industry partners and researchers tell us that they have a tremendous amount of data from the succession of flights over the past year, so data-oriented lab work and emphasis on demonstrating that alternative fuels meet the jet fuel specifications are likely to be a greater focus in the coming months. Why are U.S. airlines exploring alternative fuels? Airlines are pursuing alternative fuels to enhance energy supply security and as a potential additional means of reducing emissions typically associated with fossil fuels, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is hoped that alternative fuels will assist in both regards, as well as in combating future price volatility in crude oil and heating oil markets. It also presents an opportunity for airlines to reinvent their energy supply chain while introducing competition to the petroleum sector over time. Toward these ends, A4A is a founding and principal member of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), a consortium of airlines, government, manufacturers, fuel suppliers, universities, airports and other stakeholders who hold the various keys to research, development and responsible implementation of alternative aviation fuels. On April 22, 2008, A4A issued a Web-based call for alternative fuels entitled "Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels: The A4A Commitment," which spells out for would-be fuel providers our rigorous safety, environmental, supply reliability and economic feasibility requirements. On June 17, 2013, the consultation with the A4A Energy Council, CAAFI announced the availability of Guidance for Selling Alternative Fuels to Airlines to serve as a roadmap for potential producers and other supply-chain participants contemplating purchase agreements with airlines for non-petroleum-derived jet fuels. Which alternative fuels do airlines think are most promising? A4A supports the development of any viable alternative to traditional petroleum-based jet fuel that can meet the rigorous requirements set forth in the A4A alternative fuels principles. For instance, A4A applauds efforts to use various forms of biomass, natural gas or combinations of biomass and other material as a source of fuel, as long as the biomass does not compete with food supplies. Even if alternative fuels do not prove feasible for near-term use in commercial aircraft, A4A supports their development for other uses. What are the infrastructure/logistical hurdles to using alternative fuels? Significant infrastructure hurdles exist. Because the production of alternative fuels will likely require new facilities located away from the existing distribution network, new handling and distribution capacity will be necessary if it is to be commercialized. For instance, additional road and rail networks may need to be constructed to deliver raw materials required for production, and new pipelines would have to be developed that could transport the finished product. The vast majority of jet fuel consumed in the United States is distributed by pipeline. New storage facilities at airports also might have to be developed. Having said that, A4A member airlines have called for alternative jet fuels that can be commingled with existing fuels (referred to as “drop-in fuels”), which could greatly reduce the need for duplicative infrastructure. Does FAA certify jet fuel? No - FAA certifies aircraft and engines. An element of this certification is a listing of the operational requirements and limitations for the specific equipment that is being certified, which includes identification of the type of jet fuel approved for use in that equipment. Therefore, FAA specifies what type of fuel is to be used but does not certify the jet fuel itself. Separately, airline fueling manuals, with which airlines must comply by law, are based on the jet fuel recognized by FAA. Before FAA identifies the appropriate fuel for specific equipment, and before airlines can include the fuel requirements in fueling manuals, the fuel already has been determined to meet the specifications necessary to be safely used in the relevant equipment. In the case of jet fuel, the applicable standard (also referred to as a “specification”) is controlled by ASTM International, an organization devoted to the development and management of standards for a wide range of industrial products and processes. It is this specification that is included in FAA product approvals and required air carrier manuals. Specifically, aviation turbine fuel must meet specifications, including but not limited to, ASTM D1655 or ASTM D7566 and others referenced and required by FAA. The following performance characteristics of alternative jet fuel, in addition to conformance with ASTM D1655 and/or ASTM D7566in their entirety, must be equivalent to those of conventional jet fuel at every stage of distribution, delivery, storage and utilization in the aircraft and its engines, including the auxiliary power units: lubricity, seal swell, dielectric constant, density, bulk modulus, water solubility, viscosity, thermal conductivity, specific heat, autoignition temperature, hot surface ignition, temperature, toxicity and storage stability. Periodically, through established ASTM procedures, the specification is updated and revised by a specialized committee of experts. Proposed changes to the specification are carefully considered, and a formal balloting process is conducted to secure consensus before any revision is accepted. Fuels produced from alternative sources must complete this rigorous vetting process to establish that they meet the specification requirements to be safely used as jet fuel. Why are there two ASTM jet fuel specifications? Until very recently, ASTM D1655, titled “Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels,” was the only ASTM jet fuel specification. This specification covers jet fuels derived from specific fossil-fuel sources. In August 2009, after completing its rigorous review process, ASTM approved D7566, "Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons." This specification allows for alternatives that demonstrate that they are safe, effective and otherwise meet the specification and fit-for-purpose requirements to be deployed as jet fuels, on par with fuels under ASTM D1655. The initial issue of the specification enables use of fuels from the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process in up to a 50 percent blend with conventional Jet A. FT fuels can be generated from a variety of feedstocks, including biomass (biomass to liquid) and natural gas to liquid, in addition to coal to liquid and combinations thereof. The ASTM D7566 specification is structured, via annexes, to accommodate different classes of alternative fuels when it is demonstrated that they meet the relevant requirements. It is expected that the FT approval will be followed by approvals for hydrotreated renewable Jet (HRJ) blends and other alternatives as data from technical evaluations is obtained. What are the key challenges associated with implementing biofuels in aviation? Will they be certified? How expensive will they be to produce in mass quantity? Can they be injected into multiproduct pipelines for efficient transportation to airports? How much better will they be than today's jet fuel in environmental terms, including local air quality impacts? Will airlines have to sacrifice energy content? How readily available are the biofuels that the airline industry would need? Through CAAFI, the industry is striving to have biofuels certified for commercial aviation use between 2010 and 2013. Over time, they undoubtedly will be more available but, as of now, challenges include weakness in the capital markets, as well as technological hurdles to economically viable mass production. How long will it take for biofuels to be used widely in commercial aviation? Based on CAAFI goals for successive revision to the jet fuel specifications for 2010-2013, A4A believes that biofuels will become commercially available in sufficient quantities for blending with traditional jet fuels as early as 2013. Given that it will take some time to scale up commercial production, A4A would expect only a small percentage of biojet fuel to be used by aviation in the early years, increasing over time. What is the cost advantage to airlines offered by biofuels versus traditional fuels? There may not be a cost advantage; that remains to be seen. Obviously, the economics of biofuels will evolve, depending on the construct of any future regulatory schemes. What are the climate-impact implications of biofuels? Carbon emissions measured from aircraft engines likely will not be significantly different when biofuels are used than when traditional jet fuel is used. That is because jet engines rely on having a certain amount carbon-based energy. The significant carbon benefits of biofuels are realized earlier in the fuel production chain than with traditional fuels. Specifically, biofeedstocks pull carbon out of the air as they are grown, so when they are burned they result in significantly less net carbon (and possibly even no net carbon) than traditional, petroleum-based fuels. Thus, the environmental benefits of alternative fuels are measured over the entire life cycle of the fuels. What is the A4A position on climate change and aviation? Although commercial aviation contributes only about 2-3 percent of man-made GHGs, A4A member airlines are committed to continuing to reduce their GHGs. Since airlines have achieved tremendous fuel efficiency improvements already, the potential for revolutionary improvements is limited. Thus, A4A actively supports the development of game-changing advancements, such as cleaner alternative fuels. Even more beneficial would be the implementation of a modernized air traffic management (ATM) system in the United States. The operational efficiencies from a modern, satellite-based ATM system would result in significant savings in GHGs. On the regulatory front, A4A supports the ongoing efforts of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which is the United Nations body charged with establishing standards and recommended practices for international aviation, to further address aviation’s contribution to climate change. PubZone2	A4A supports a truly comprehensive, meaningfully balanced U.S. energy policy and is committed to protecting our planet.