IAF May Fly An-32 Transport Aircraft using Bio-jet Fuel on Republic Day

The Republic day in 2019 may witness the Indian Air Force jet flight Fly-past with the blended biofuel. To boost the use of the Biofuels, Indian Air Force has taken the first step. On 17 December 2018, Experimental Test Pilots and Test Engineer from IAF’s premier testing establishment ASTE, flew India’s first military flight using blended bio-jet fuel on the An-32 transport aircraft.  

The project is a combined effort of IAF, DRDO, Directorate General Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum. 

On 27 July 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 indigenized technologies, the CAS had stated that IAF intended to fly the An-32 with 10 percent biojet fuel on 26 Jan 2019 Republic Day fly-past. 

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 2019, in the Republic Day flypast. 

The Indian Air Force has successfully flown its first military flight, an AN-32 transporter aircraft, using blended bio-jet fuel. The test was completed in Bengaluru yesterday.  

In a combined effort with DRDO, Directorate General Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, the Experimental Test Pilots and Test Engineer from IAF’s premier testing establishment ASTE flew India’s first military flight using blended bio-jet fuel on the An-32 transport aircraft. 

Indian Air Force carried out extensive engine tests on the ground. This is now followed by flight trials using 10 percent bio-jet blended ATF.