Soon the Natural-Gas BUFF: The venerable B-52 bomber will serve as the alternative fuel guinea pig of the Air Force Research Lab’s propulsion directorate in September when a bomber flies with two of its eight engines running on a specially blended fuel derived from natural gas. This project is another by-product of the rising cost of fuel. Once considered too costly to pursue, the Fischer-Tropsch fuel production process has probably reached the break-even point, says Maj. Timothy Schulteis, Air Force propulsion program element monitor. AFRL researchers also are considering using coal. According to USAF, the service went in the hole by some $800 million last year alone because of rising fuel costs.
Planning an Air Show Is Hard. At Andrews, It’s Even Harder
Sept. 17, 2025
Joint Base Andrews opened its flightline this month to thousands of civilians, exposing a normally restricted airbase that regularly hosts the president and foreign dignitaries to a curious public eager to see current and historic military aircraft up close and in action.
