Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 17

Six months after Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa spoke about using a blend of biofuel with aviation turbine fuel (ATF) for planes, the Indian Air Force today said it will fly an AN-32 transport aircraft on blended fuel over Rajpath at the forthcoming Republic Day Parade.

Two days ago, the Union Agriculture Ministry conducted a day-long seminar in Mohali, Punjab, to tell farmers how non-edible crops are needed to produce the biofuel.

At the flypast, the lead aircraft of the three-plane AN-32 formation will be flown using a blend of bio-fuel and ATF. It will be piloted by Squadron Leader Mehtab Sond of the Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment.

It will be a blend of ATF and 10 per cent bio-fuel extracted from jatropha plant seeds using a technology patented by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun, the IAF said.

The IAF initiative is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to reduce crude oil import and dependency by 10 per cent by 2021.

HAL copter succeeds in firing missile

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s indigenous Light Combat Helicopter has achieved a milestone by successfully firing a missile at a moving target
• HAL Chairman R Madhavan said it was the first time in the country that a helicopter carried out air-to-air missile engagement. With this, the LCH is ready for induction