Air New Zealand's two-hour test flight of a second generation new biofuel was successfully conducted above Auckland on Tuesday.

A Boeing 747-400 took off at 11:30 a.m. local time (2230 GMT Monday) and flied over the wider Hauraki Gulf area, powered by a 50:50 blend of jatropha and Jet A1 fuel.

Jatropha plants produce seeds that contain inedible lipid oil, which is used to produce fuel.

During the flight the crew conducted a number of fuel tests confirming and measuring the performance of the engine and fuel systems at various altitudes and under a variety of operating conditions.

The flight was part of a series of trials taking place at airlines around the world, testing different types of biofuel as a sustainable alternative to the fossil fuel-based Jet-A1 fuel.

(Xinhua News Agency December 30, 2008)