The New York Times Reported today:

Virgin Atlantic said Monday that it would conduct a demonstration flight next month of one of its Boeing 747 jets using biofuel — the first airborne test of a renewable fuel by a commercial jet.

Related
Dot Earth: Jumbo Jet to Fly (Partly) on Biofuel (January 14, 2008)

The airline, founded by the British billionaire Richard Branson, said a 747-400 plane would make the one hour and 20 minute journey from London Heathrow Airport to Amsterdam in late February using 20 percent biofuel and 80 percent conventional jet fuel. The test, without passengers, is part of a joint research project announced by Virgin, Boeing and the aircraft engine maker GE Aviation.

The airline declined to identify the source of the biofuel, though Paul Charles, a Virgin spokesman, said the carrier had rejected fuels derived from crops like palm oil because of the huge land area that would need to be devoted to cultivation for fuel production.

“It will be a very sustainable fuel source,” Mr. Charles said, adding that its production would not compete with food or fresh water resources.

Interestingly enough, this same story when reported at news.com.au specifically quoted an expert who said:

“Biodiesel is a complete scam because in the tropics the growing demand is causing forests to be burnt to make way for palm oil and similar crops,”

So apparently the copy of the press release they received did not include that part about rejecting crops like Palm Oil.

What I really wonder is that if the airplanes, like so many bio-diesel cars, will smell like French Fries.