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CO2 emissions. “From the flight crew perspective, there are no differences. So
for a standard crew, using 100 percent SAF will be a standard
Two of the company’s sites in the Toulouse operation as soon as it is certified.”
area (Blagnac and Francazal) are now fully
powered with electricity coming from renew- This is addition, to continuous and incremental steps taken
able sources and biomethane (a gas which towards improving the efficiency of its aircraft, such as the new
emits up to 10 times less CO2 than natural PW127XT engine, which lowers aircraft fuel consumption and the
gas). The A9 building on the Blagnac site, new ATR ‘EVO’ version, which incorporates hybrid capabilities and
with its surface area of 9,100m2 is designed enhanced engine and propeller technologies to further improve
to meet the needs of ATR as it expands and fuel-efficiency and reduce emissions. ATR is also implementing
the building is 40 percent more efficient than the latest air traffic management (ATM) innovations to reduce
current energy performance regulations – the carbon emissions to a minimum.
RT2012 standard, the goal of which is to limit
energy consumption in new buildings.
Preferred Platform
Together with Airbus, Safran and the Toulouse ATR aircraft are powered by turboprop engines, which are
Blagnac Airport, ATR in 2018, started using especially well suited for regional flights, offering very low fuel
a digital solution for carpooling. Between consumption compared to similarly sized jets (compared to
September 2018 and November 2022, ATR regional jets on an average route of 550km). Also due to their
employees made over 12,200 commutes via lower cruising altitudes turboprops contribute less to the for-
this app, thereby saving more than 192,000km mation of contrails, reducing the overall impact of aviation’s
of car journeys (the equivalent of 26 tonnes ‘Non-CO2 effect’.
of CO2 emissions).
Turboprop powered aircraft usually cruise at altitude of 5,800m,
In addition to these efforts, the airframer whereas, regional jets cruise at altitudes of 10,700m. According
believes that quickest route to decarbonisa- to ATR, on regional routes, turboprop engines are the most effi-
tion is the use of SAF and it aims to achieve cient, burning twice less fuel than turbojet engines.
the 100 percent SAF certification of its aircraft
by 2025. The first ATR flight with 100 percent In the USA for example, if regional jet capacity on routes up to
SAF in both engines was made in June 2022 926 km were replaced by turboprops, there would be an immedi-
on a Braathens commercial aircraft in a flight ate 28 percent drop in CO2 emissions. This would be equivalent
that lasted approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. to a reduction of 4.6 million tonnes of CO2 (or 1 million gaso-
According to ATR Chief pilot Cyril Cizabuiroz, line-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year).

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