Fighter engine fuel test ends, prepares for first flight

  • Published
  • By Janaé Daniels
  • AEDC/PA
The first fighter jet engine completed alternative synthetic fuel testing at the U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC), Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn., in May. 

The fuel was tested on a Pratt & Whitney F100 engine, the powerplant for the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon in a simulated altitude jet engine test cell. 

The F100 engine went through the same-type testing the F101 underwent at AEDC last fall. The F101 is the powerplant for the B-1 Lancer bomber. Tests included operability, augmentor and performance testing. 

"We are running through these experiments to see how the engine operability & performance compare using the JP8 fuel versus the synthetic fuel (50 percent JP8/50 percent SPK)," said 1st Lt. Josh Frederik, jet engine project manager for AEDC's 717th Test Squadron. 

Since 2006, AEDC has taken an active role in its support of the U.S. Air Force's Alternative Fuels Certification Office in the evaluation and certification of the synthetic paraffinic kerosene (SPK) alternative fuel, which is derived from natural gas or coal using the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, for use in all Air Force aircraft. 

According to Lieutenant Frederik there were approximately 50 air-on-hours during the F100 test series. 

Since AEDC is part of the FT initiative, subsequent tests are planned for other engines.