Taipei: Mandarin Airlines has flown its newly delivered ATR 72-600 to Taipei using a 30 per cent blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), marking a move towards cleaner operations in regional aviation, Lara News reported.
The flight, which formed the first leg of the aircraft’s journey from Toulouse to Taipei, will see the aircraft join the airline’s fleet of 12 ATR planes operating within Taiwan.
Aircraft manufacturer ATR said it is working towards enabling 100 per cent SAF capability by 2030 as part of efforts to cut emissions. At present, the PW127XT engines used in the ATR 72-600 can operate with up to 50 per cent SAF.
In earlier efforts, ATR partnered with Braathens Regional Airlines and Neste to advance full SAF compatibility. The collaboration resulted in a successful 100 per cent SAF flight using an ATR 72-600 in 2022.
The latest flight highlights growing momentum in the aviation sector’s shift towards cleaner fuel alternatives.
