AN-32 of Indian Air Force (IAF) certified to operate on indigenous Bio-Jet fuel

The workhorse of the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Russian made AN-32 transport aircraft was formally fleet certified to fly on a blended bio-jet fuel partly derived from trees. The fuel will be 10% tree-derived and 90% conventional aviation fuel. The IAF has plans to widen the experiment over the next two years. The approval for use of bio-fuel to fly the Russian made fleet was given by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC). The indigenous bio-jet fuel was first produced by the CSIR-IIP lab at Dehradun in 2013, but could not be tested or certified for commercial use on aircraft due to lack of test facilities in the civil aviation sector. This is a huge step in promoting the ‘Make in India’ mission as this bio-fuel would be produced from Tree Borne Oils (TBOs) sourced from tribal areas.