Coast to Coast

Biofuel Airplane Project Goal Achieved: Coast to Coast Biofuel-Powered Flight from Rhode Island to California, and back.

As Featured in Rhode Island Monthly.

Setting a Fuel Efficiency World Record The weather was good Tuesday July 12th and the aviation biofuel performed perfectly in the SMA engine. Thierry Saint Loup, Vice President of SMA Engines and Ross McCurdy flew Paramus Flying Club's SMA Cessna 182 for 848 nautical miles over a nonstop triangular course for just over 9 hours to set a fuel efficiency World Record in the C 1-C class airplane, land, 1,000 - 1,750 kg. Learn more about the record setting flight.

Reflecting on the Coast to Coast Bioflight April 16, 2016 10:20 AM - April 25, 2016 5:22 PM The Coast to Coast Bioplane landed back in Rhode Island at North Central State Airport on Monday April 25th 2016 at 5:22 PM to a warm reception of family, friends, and friendly TV news reporters. After the years of preparation it felt great to achieve this flight and fly the entire 5,000 nm round trip to California and back with Aviation Biofuel. The aviation biofuel performed perfectly in the highly efficient SMA Diesel engine over the entire flight and clearly demonstrated that biofuels work. By increasing energy efficiency and using renewable energy in our vehicles, homes, and businesses we can save money, improve the environment, and move towards a Sustainable Future. This has been an amazing flight and it was great to meet so many people interested in aviation and renewable energy. We look forward to updating this website as we now work to achieve the Around the World Bioflight. Our most sincere thanks to everyone who made this flight possible!

About the Coast to Coast Bioflight The Coast to Coast Biofuel Airplane Project combined the excitement of aviation with the leading edge in renewable energy technology. Using aviation biofuel in a single engine Cessna equipped with an amazingly efficient SMA diesel engine, we achieved a 5,000 nautical mile flight from Rhode Island to California and back. The key to a sustainable energy future is twofold, increasing energy efficiency and using renewable energy. By increasing energy efficiency of our homes, appliances, vehicles, etc. we use less energy to get what we need done. By using renewable energy we are helping to ensure a sustainable future, a cleaner environment, and a better quality of life. This was the first transcontinental flight using aviation biofuel in a certified light aircraft. The aviation biofuel was made from renewable Camelina plant seed oil and blended 50-50 with regular Jet A to meet ASTM D7566 standards. The biofuel was supplied by the Air Force in order to obtain additional aviation diesel engine test data. The aviation biofuel blend was run through over twenty lab tests to ensure it met or exceeded the required specifications and this aviation biofuel blend is a drop-in replacement for Jet A that can be used in jet engines, turboprop engines, and aviation diesel engines. With 50% of the fuel made from renewable Camelina plant seed oil the emissions are reduced, the carbon footprint is significantly lower, and there is no lead in the fuel. This makes it much better for the environment. While some renewable energy technologies hold great promise but are not yet “ready for prime time”, diesel engines are a proven technology that have been in use for over 100 years. There is a reason the great 18 wheeler “big rig” trucks travelling the world’s highways all use diesel engines. They are fuel efficient, powerful, and reliable. With rising fuel costs and environmental concerns about the lead that is still used in aviation gasoline, diesel engines are a great solution for most general aviation airplanes. Along with the benefits of greater fuel efficiency, reliability, and lower emissions, aviation diesel engines can also use renewable aviation biofuels. The SMA aviation diesel engine in the single engine, four passenger Cessna 182 we flew is 30-40% more fuel efficient than the avgas burning stock engine it replaced. This saves a lot of fuel, a lot of money, and is better for the environment. Increasing energy efficiency and using renewable energy are the keys to a sustainable future. The Coast to Coast Biofuel Airplane Project clearly demonstrated this to promote renewable energy, aviation, and the excitement of real world science education. Blue Skies! Meet the team The Flight Route

News Coverage Father, son to fly biofuel plane from RI to California By R.J. Heim, NBC 10 News on March 30th, 2016 Teacher making biofuel flight from RI to CA By Melissa Randall, ABC 6 News on March 30th 2016