FAA and Spain Cooperate in alternative aviation fuels

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA) signed a Declaration of Cooperation to promote the development and use of sustainable alternative aviation fuels in the United States and Spain. The Declaration was signed by Carey Fagan, FAA Executive Director for International Affairs, and Isabel Maestre Moreno, Director of AESA.

“The U.S. is committed to making aviation as clean and as energy efficient as possible, as part of our NextGen air traffic modernization goals,” said Deputy Secretary of Transportation John D. Porcari, who witnessed the signing of the declaration. “Spain also has an ambitious and innovative alternative jet fuels R&D program, the involvement of all the key stakeholders, and the agricultural resources to support aviation biofuel production. This Declaration of Cooperation will enable us to better share and exchange ideas and best practices to attain our goals.”

The Declaration calls for the U.S. and Spain to exchange ideas, information, skills and techniques, and to collaborate on problems and projects of mutual interest in the development and use of sustainable alternative aviation fuels. The specific areas of cooperation include exchanging information about research results, publications, funded research and development activities. The parties also will share best practices in alternative jet fuel conversion research, development and deployment. The Declaration also enables the FAA’s Office of Environment and Energy and AESA to explore the possibilities for cooperation in other areas, such as researching the life-cycle effects from alternative fuel emissions on the atmosphere, as well as research leading to reductions in the cost of producing alternative aviation fuels.