But Sales Of $100 Hamburgers Could Soar
ANN April 1st Special Edition: Researchers at
the University of California at Berkeley have introduced a biofuel
that they believe can be a suitable replacement for avgas. Made
from the seeds and stems of the cannabis sativa plant, the new fuel
has been dubbed GOhWow by its creator, Dr. Moonpi Jones, the Alan
Ginsberg Professor of Alternative Biochemistry at the
University.
Jones said he got the idea after some of his stash ... that is
stock ... was left under some textbooks for about a month. He said
when he picked up the books, he noticed the weight had pressed out
a small amount of oil, which he found to be flammable. When he woke
up several hours later, he ate half a bag of marshmallows and
realize he might have hit on an alternative fuel.
The development process has not been easy, though. Jones has had
to conduct much of his research clandestinely, getting stock from
questionable sources in back alleys at night. And, he says, it is
not all of the same quality. "Depends on the dealer ... er ...
supplier," he said. "Some of it is top-grade stuff, but other times
it's like trying to extract rocket fuel from oregano."
Still, with no shortage of small growers in the northern
California region, Jones has been able to refine enough of the
alternative fuel to conduct tests on an airplane at a remote
airstrip in the California mountains. The test pilot, who would
only give his call sign "Squeaky," said the plane ran fine on the
cannabis-derived fuel. "I pretty much do all of my flying at full
throttle below the treeline," he said. "And the new fuel never gave
me a moment's trouble. It's been just as smooth as silk."
Jones' Research Site
In fact, "Squeaky" said he had been using the fuel as a straight
replacement for 100LL and found that the engine has
been running cooler and "just a bit more mellow." Dr. Jones
indicated he was very pleased with the test results. "It's, like,
far out, man, you know? I'm, like, all 'wow' and, well, you know,"
he said. California Governor Jerry Brown is reportedly considering
a state grant to Jones to continue his research.
While there seems to be no adverse effects to the engine or
occupants of the aircraft due to the cannabis-derived fuel, some
airports have reported a surge in sales of hamburgers from their
on-site restaurants after the test plane had visited the area, and
that a number of line personnel had been caught sleeping behind the
hangars.