CORK headquartered, Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA), an Enterprise Ireland (HPSU) client company, training commercial pilots in co-operation with MTU for the global airline industry, has set itself on a clear flightpath towards reducing its carbon footprint and implementing further sustainable objectives in pilot training.
AFTA’s ambition is to convert it’s entire fleet to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) alternative power plants in the coming years and is currently exploring funding options to make this happen.
AFTA is already recognised as an industry leader in Europe by being the first EASA approved, flight training academy to introduce ‘Sustainability and Environmental awareness’ in every aspect of the pilots training journey. As a significant independent Irish airline pilot training provider in Europe, AFTA has moved a step closer to reducing its carbon footprint by changing its advanced multi-engined aircraft fleet from high carbon emitting older technology aircraft, to the next generation, Austrian manufactured, Diamond DA 42 NG (next generation) aircraft. The DA 42 NG can run on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) which is plant-based, reducing emissions by over 90% when the power plants additional efficiency is factored in.
AFTA is firmly embedded in the education sector, partnering with MTU, and uses its aircraft to deliver the hands-on practical and theory elements of the airline pilot trading curriculum. While government supports are available for the transport sector to retrofit their equipment to run on alternative fuels, no such supports are currently available for businesses like AFTA that are in the education sector.