Indian Air Force Lands AN-32 Flying on Biofuel Near China Border

New Delhi (Sputnik): The Indian Air Force is aiming to cut fuel costs by around $4 billion by 2024. With the successful landing of the biofuel- blend-powered transport aircraft at a height of around 3,524 metres, the force will gradually move to use the fuel in other aircraft as well.

The An-32 twin-engine military aircraft, flying on a 10% biofuel blend successfully landed at Leh, bordering arch-rival China on Friday.

Last year, IAF’s formidable workhorse the AN-32 aircraft was formally fleet certified to fly on blended aviation fuel containing up to 10% of indigenous bio-jet fuel.

The bio-jet fuel used in the jet was first produced by the government-funded CSIR-IIP lab at Dehradun in 2013. The lab will produce the biofuel from Tree Borne Oils (TBOs) sourced from tribal areas and farmers.

In July 2018, the then IAF chief BS Dhanoa had formally announced IAF’s intention to permit the use of all its resources for testing and certifying the indigenous fuel.

“In a step to lower import fuel costs by the use of biofuels and ethanol-blended fuels, the Indian Air Force will start using biofuels to fly its transport aircraft,” the air force chief had announced.

It is estimated that the IAF consumes about one billion litres of ATF to power its varied fleet.

Sourse: sputniknews.com