Continental's virgin biofuel flight

The airline industry hasn't always been the most forward looking in solving systemic efficiency problems, but a new effort appears to be taking hold. Following closely on the coat tails of Virgin's publicity stunt in January, Continental is now to perform virtually the same demo in 2009.
       What with the internecine bankruptcies, runway strandings, baggage handling x-games, and mollifying Naomi Campbell you would think there'd be little left in the budget for R&D. But right now, the average jet fuel price for 2008 is $118.8 a barrel, which will raise the 2008 fuel bill by more than $54 billion, according to the International Air Transport Association.
        The Continental flight will use a Boeing Next-Generation 737 equipped with CFM International CFM56-7B engines. CFM is a 50/50 joint company of General Electric Company and Snecma (SAFRAN Group).
        More details, including the flight plan, will be announced closer to the demonstration flight date.