Could we use Ethanol to fuel planes?

Question

Only just heard of "Ethanol", 3 questions;

1. Is it renewable.

2. Could it fuel a plane?

3. Does it cause environmental damage?

Answer 1

1: yes ethanol is a renewable fuel. the problem though is that ethanol, while it can be made from many sources, causes shortages in other areas, like food, and currently not enough can be made to satisfy the needs of aviation use.

2: yes ethanol can be used as a fuel in aircraft. there would have to be some fuel system changes though, and ethanol use would reduce the aircrafts range since more fuel would have to be used to maintain power. even jet engines can burn ethanol, but again the fuel consumption would just about double what it is with jet fuel.

3: ethanol has similar emissions output as gasoline.

Answer 2

im not sure if we could use it to fuel a plane, but if we did use it i think that we would start to see a shortage in the stuff uesd to make the ethanol.

Answer 3

2. No.  Jet fuel is specially manufactured to try to reduce fire deaths in passengers (requires a higher heat before it flames).  

3. Jet fuel causes environmental damage just like any other fuel.  They are starting to see problems in areas near airports where they have doubled traffic. The more traffic, the worse the problem.

Answer 4

No. Most engines burn a form of kerosene.However they can burn vegetable oils also.Only the military pay for the flame proof fuels.the airlines don't care.

Answer 5

the US uses corn ethanol which is extremely inefficient.

the royal society of chemistry said that a flight from london to new york would require a year supply of corn from 30 soccer fields