IAF's An-32 to fly with biofuel at Republic Day flypast

The flypast is one of the main attractions of the annual parade on January 26 every year and all the frontline aircraft including the fighter jets take part in it.

"The AN-32 taking part in the Republic Day parade flypast would be powered by a mix of fuel including 10 per cent biofuel and remaining 90 per cent Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF)," an IAF official said.

The remaining aircraft at the flypast are expected to fly without biofuel, he said.

Last month, with an aim of cutting down fuel consumption by almost 10 per cent, the Air Force flew one of its An-32 transport aircraft with 10 per cent biofuel in it. The sortie lasted for more than 45 minutes over the skies around Chandigarh air base.

The fuel used by the aircraft was a mix of 10 per cent bio-jet fuel produced from Jatropha and 90 per cent ATF. Experimental test pilots and test engineer from IAF's premier testing establishment, Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment, flew the An-32 transport aircraft.

The Air Force believes that the use of biofuel in its aircraft would also help it in cutting down its carbon footprint.

Once the experiment is successful on the transport aircraft, the Air Force would also try this on the fighter aircraft fleet including the Sukhoi-30, MiG-29s and other planes.