Renovating Old Airplanes

Project Biofuel: an adventure and a charity project by fellow Rotarian Ben Capelle.

Susanne introduces Ben Capelle who, after a career as air force major, founded the ACE (Air Centre Europe) in 1998. This aviation academy for Europe has the goal to train pilots and restore old planes.

The passion for planes and flying is the starting point that made Ben accept to take part in a project to try, for the first time ever, to realise a transoceanic flight with a mono engine plane fueled only with biofuel.

Mr Capelle, in collaboration with the University of Twente will try this summer to fly an old Russian Antonov II plane from Los Angeles to Schiphol using a biofuel obtained from algae. The flight will be made in 7 days with stops in the US, Newfoundland, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, England and finally the Netherlands.

Being a true Rotarian our fellow Ben has also decide to associate his Rotary Club to this project and try to raise an impressive 250.000? for a microcredit project in Kenia.

The attendance was really impressed by this adventure and several questions were asked. Karl thanked the speaker and Ehsan presented Ben with a copy of our cookbook "taste for life"

A complete list of our other events from Events is also available.