Swedish airline BRA operates first ATR biofuels flight

Swedish regional carrier BRA has operated a flight from Stockholm Bromma Airport to Umeå in northern Sweden with an ATR-72-600 using a fuel blend comprised 45% of used cooking oil.

Turboprop manufacturer ATR said it was the first biofuel-powered flight of an ATR aircraft.

“Sweden is currently debating a new tax on aviation,” BRA CEO Christian Clemens. “It will have a minimal impact on emissions, and will unfortunately slow down the pace in which we can continue to make aviation more sustainable. The ATR 72-600, especially if powered by biofuel, is the optimal transportation on many of our routes and features the highest standards of environmental care.”

ATR CEO Christian Scherer explained: “Today’s challenge is to get a large-scale production of biofuels at affordable costs while avoiding a negative impact on the environment.”