[xoxoxoBruce]

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne announces in front of a B-52H¸ at Edwards Air Force Base¸ that the B-52H is now certified to fly a blended synthetic fuel. [U.S. Air Force photo]Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Michael W. Wynne, Aug. 8, announced the completion of the Air Force’s certification of Fischer-Tropsch fuel blends for the B-52H during a signing ceremony at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Wynne signed a certificate at the ceremony certifying that a blended FT and standard JP-8 jet fuel is safe for operational use in all B-52H aircraft.
"This is a great day for the U.S. Air Force, it’s a great day to be here at the flight test center, and it’s another milestone achievement that’s been accomplished at the flight test center," said Wynne.

The B-52H was chosen as the test platform because of key advantages such as its eight engines, he said. The fuel system in the B-52 can simultaneously isolate, carry and manage both a test fuel and the standard JP-8 fuel.

The Air Force now plans to test and certify every airframe to fly on a domestically-produced synthetic fuel blend by early 2011.