The Air Force has flown, for the first time, a C-17 entirely fueled by a synthetic fuel blend in all four fuel tanks. An earlier flight had demonstrated the use of the Fischer-Tropsch synthetic and JP-8 blend in one tank. After the Oct. 22 flight, the lead pilot for the test, Maj. Scott Sullivan, with the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Calif., said, “There was no discernible difference between” the pure jet fuel and synthetic blend. The Air Force expects to certify the synfuel blend for the entire C-17 airlifter fleet early next year. It certified the B-52 bomber fleet in August. Some analysts question whether there will be enough synthetic fuel production to meet the service’s needs.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff touted his highly unusual background for the job as an asset and reaffirmed his commitment to stay apolitical during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1.