India’s first military flight using blended bio-jet fuel flown by IAF

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Experimental Test Pilots and Test Engineer from IAF’s premier testing establishment Aircraft & System Testing Establishment (ASTE) flew India’s first military flight using blended bio-jet fuel on the An-32 transport aircraft on December 17, 2018. The project is a combined effort of IAF, DRDO, Directorate General Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum.

On July 27, 2018, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, Chief of Air Staff, had announced IAF’s intention to promote biojet fuels. Addressing the CII-SIDM seminar on promoting indigenised technologies, the CAS had stated that IAF intended to fly the An-32 with 10% biojet fuel on January 26, 2019, Republic Day flypast.

Indian Air Force carried out extensive engine tests on the ground. This is now followed by flight trials using 10% biojet blended ATF. This fuel is made from Jatropha oil sourced from Chattisgarh Biodiesel Development Authority (CBDA) and then processed at CSIR-IIP, Dehradun. IAF intends to fly the An-32 transport aircraft using biojet fuel on 26 January 26, 2019, in the Republic Day flypast, according to a PIB release.