While a European summit on the decarbonization of aviation is currently taking place in Toulouse, the
ATR aircraft manufacturer wanted to show that a first step towards lower emissions was within reach. The regional aircraft manufacturer, based in Blagnac, announced Thursday that it had carried out a series of ground and flight tests with its ATR 72-600 prototype using 100% biofuel.
Called “sustainable aviation fuel” (SAF), the fuel used by the ATR was produced using waste and residues of renewable raw materials, in particular used cooking oils. A test campaign which should allow the aircraft manufacturer to certify its aircraft definitively by 2025.
ATR performed a series of flight tests with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in one engine.
The collaboration with Braathens Regional Airlines and Neste will accelerate the certification process for 100% SAF in both engines by 2025. https://t.co/HBqflQ7lRw— ATR (@ATRaircraft) February 2, 2022
The use of these biofuels is one of the levers for reducing CO2 emissions from aviation. ATR estimates that on a flight using 100% SAF, CO2 emissions will drop by 82%. “Achieving this first milestone of testing shows that we are committed to making 100% use of SAF possible and thus enabling our customers to achieve their goals of providing even more sustainable air links, not not in 2035 or 2050, but in the next few years,” Stefano Bortoli, executive chairman of the Airbus industry, said in a statement.