The FAA has committed $40 million to support research into alternative jet fuels and new aircraft technology at 14 universities around the country, from Boston to Honolulu, the agency announced on Friday. Research and development efforts will focus on NextGen environmental goals for noise, air quality and fuel savings. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said the agency wants to increase energy efficiency in the National Airspace System by at least 2 percent per year, with a target of 1 billion gallons of alternate jet fuel in use by 2018. The research support, which will be provided over 10 years, “is a valuable tool to provide the critical data we need to reach these goals,” Huerta said.
Partners in the project include Boston University, Oregon State University, Purdue University, the University of Dayton, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Washington, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, Stanford University, the University of Hawaii, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Tennessee. The project also includes industry partners, including Airbus, Boeing, several airlines, and engine manufacturers.
