“We are also working on a hybrid electric engine so half the power will come from battery and half from the engine itself. We will do flight testing in two years and this could be a flight tested on a De Havilland-8 airplane which is a common airplane here. So, ultimately into the future, can I foresee hybrid electric regional jets flying in India? Absolutely!," Paul Finklestein, Director-Marketing, Pratt & Whitney told Mint.
In India, low-cost carrier SpiceJet is an operator of De Havilland-8 airplane. It has over 30 such aircraft in its fleet.
The American aerospace company is also optimistic about its new engine product GTF (Gear Turbofan) advantage engine which has been developed for the A320neo aircraft, a popular airplane in India with airlines such as IndiGo and GoFIRST airlines. The previous generation GTF engine by Pratt & Whitney was launched in 2016 and has powered around 200 aircraft of IndiGo and GoFIRST so far, Finklestein added.
“New product will enter into service in 2024 timeframe and we expect that to run for another 10-15 years of service," he said, adding that the company expects significant order for the new version and is looking at prospective customers in India for engines and other opportunities.
Airlines and countries are looking at ways to reduce carbon emissions and while the approach may be expensive, stakeholders are inclined towards finding a way to adapt to sustainability in the aviation sector.
“It looks like Indian aviation industry has adopted some of ICAO and CORSIA rules where starting 2027 1% of fuel needs to be SAF, there will be some expensive goals with it so whether the expenses are passed through ticket prices and fuel prices or government support to operator or a combination of all three it remains to be seen, but it is true, cost is a challenge," he added.
As per The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), sustainable aviation fuel is any fuel that has the potential to generate lower carbon emissions than conventional kerosene on a life cycle basis.
The concept of sustainable aviation fuel among Indian airlines is still at a nascent stage. So far, there have been a handful of demonstration flights by SpiceJet and IndiGo on blended fuel for lower carbon emissions.
