E-Paper
First biofuel-blended IAF plane to take flight soon
After transporters, the helicopter fleet of the Indian Air Force will fly using Bio-Aviation combination fuel.
On November 19, a Russian made AN-32 of the Indian Air Force’s transport fleet will take to the skies from a base in the Western Sector using a mix of Aviation Turbine Fuel and Bio-Fuel. This would be the first ever IAF aircraft to use the fuel mix.
After transporters, the helicopter fleet will fly using Bio-Aviation combination. “It will be a gradual move, and ultimately fighters like the Su-30MKi, and Mig-29 will also be flying using Bio-Aviation Fuel, “ said a senior IAF officer who didn’t want to named.
On an average, IAF flies over 100 transporter and over 500 helicopter sorties in a day. “Using Bio-jet blended fuel is a commitment towards lowering the oil import bill and lower the carbon footprint and strengthen the farm-based economy,” Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee, the IAF spokesperson said.
Two years ago, the IAF sent Wing Commander Asheesh Srivastava to study the use of Bio Aviation Fuel at the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS). Subsequently, the Indian Institute Petroleum and the Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification and the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance were roped in.
“If we do this well we may never need to import crude oil for our armed forces. This bio-jet product looks, smells and performs exactly like Aviation Turbine Fuel. If we are able to work this out as we anticipate, our aircraft, vehicles and warship can all bank on domestic reserves of indigenously developed and produced renewable fuel,” Dr Anjan Ray Director of the CSIR -Indian Institute of Petroleum said.
Every year, the IAF pays about ₹40,000 crores for Aviation Turbine Fuel. With Bio-Aviation Fuel, the IAF expects its fuel bill to drop by about 10 per cent. “Initially, the plan is to use a 90-10 mix (90 litres of AFT mixed with 10 litres of Bio-fuel), gradually, as the supply and production of Bio-Fuel increases the plan is to move to a 75 -25 mixture,” a senior official involved with the process who didn’t want to be named said.
To ensure that production of Bio-Fuel doesn’t affect the land available for food-grains, Bio-Fuel will be produced only from non-edible oils that grow well in arid lands. Gujarat, for instance, offered 10,000 acres arid land to produce non-edible oilseeds. Other states that are keen to produce non-edible oil seeds and put up plants to produce Bio- Fuel include Punjab, Haryana, Chattisgarh, Uttrakhand and Telagana.
If the test flight that starts from November mid-week goes as planned, IAF will show-case its capability during the Republic Day fly past on January 26, 2019, a senior IAF official said.
