On June 21, the plane manufacturer ATR, in collaboration with the Swedish company Braathens and the refiner Neste, carried out a test flight by operating an ATR 72 for the first time, carrying 100% sustainable aviation fuel (or SAF, for Sustainable Aviation Fuel). This flight took place in Sweden and is part of the 100% SAF certification of ATRs, a process initiated in September 2021 in cooperation with Braathens and Neste, which should be completed by 2025.
This flight complements a series of ground and flight tests carried out on the ATR 72-600 prototype since the beginning of 2022, including flights with 100% SAF in one engine. The June 21 flight was the first to perform 100% SAF in both engines. Cyril Cizabuiroz, ATR chief pilot, Jean-Pierre Marre, co-pilot, and Pascal Daussin, a test mechanic, flew the plane from the Swedish company Braathens located in Malmö, a coastal city in southern Sweden, to Bromma, near Stockholm, in 1 hour 20 minutes. The results of today’s flight will be analyzed and released later. Swedavia transported the SAF to the aircraft at Malmö airport and Pratt&Whitney worked closely with ATR and Braathens.
On May 16, 2019, ATR, Braathens and Neste inaugurated their SAF partnership by operating the “perfect flight”, which carried 50% of sustainable aviation fuel and applied all the techniques to limit CO2 emissions.
Up to 80% less CO2 emitted
Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel, when used in pure form, at 100% concentration as in this test flight, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% over its entire life cycle compared to the use of fossil fuels. Apart from the benefits of reducing CO2 emissions, it offers other advantages, including a significant reduction in particulate emissions. As a “drop-in” fuel, it is compatible with the engines of existing aircraft and current airport fuel infrastructure.
About the author
Joseph P. Chacko is the publisher of Frontier India. He holds an M.B.A in International Business. Books: Author: Foxtrot to Arihant: The Story of Indian Navy's Submarine Arm; Co Author : Warring Navies - India and Pakistan.
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