Alternative Aviation Fuels Efforts Lauded

January 14 – The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuel Initiative (CAAFI), a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sponsored effort to develop environmentally-sound, sustainable-alternative jet fuels, has received “one of the most coveted and valued honors” by a leading aviation-industry publication. Air Transport World’s Joseph S. Murphy Industry Service Award is given to an individual or an organization that has performed outstanding service benefiting air travel.

“This recognition is a strong endorsement of CAAFI’s innovative public-private partnership and recognizes the tremendous joint effort leading to significant advancements for alternative jet fuels this past year,” said FAA Acting Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning and Environment Nancy LoBue. “Environmentally sound alternative jet fuel is a key priority for the FAA and it is rapidly becoming a reality.”

CAAFI seeks to enhance energy security and environmental sustainability for aviation through alternative jet fuels. The initiative is a coalition of the U.S. commercial aviation community that acts as a focal point for engaging the emerging alternative fuels industry. It enables its diverse stakeholders to build relationships, share and collect needed data, identify resources, and direct research, development and deployment of alternative fuels. The initiative is fostering efforts to ensure critical issues in fuel safety, research and development, environmental impacts, and business and economic viability are addressed.

CAAFI’s sponsors include the FAA Office of Environment and Energy and three trade associations: Airports Council International of North America (ACI-NA) representing commercial airports, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) representing U.S. manufacturers, and the Air Transport Association (ATA) representing U.S. airlines. CAAFI stakeholders are drawn from all elements of the international commercial aviation industry, fuel suppliers, universities, and multiple U.S. government agencies.

The industry awards program was created in 1974 to recognize excellence. Originally a modest program, over intervening decades it has become of the most valued recognition a company or person in the airline community can receive. CAAFI will receive the award at a ceremony in Singapore on February 1.