Atlantic Flight Training Academy is switching to sustainable fuel

CEO Mark Casey said AFTA is 'committed to achieving the 2030 deadline for a 100% fleet conversion to sustainable aviation fuel'

Sean Kelly MEP examining Atlantic Flight Training Academy's SAF engines with AFTA engineer Dominic Daly and chief executive and head of training Mark Casey. Picture: David Creedon

Cork’s Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA) announced plans yesterday to convert its fleet to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the coming years, and is exploring options to fund this.

An Enterprise Ireland High Potential Start-up client company, AFTA trains commercial pilots in co-operation with MTU for the airline industry. Its clients include Ryanair, Air Astana, and GlobeAir.

The company has already moved to reduce its carbon footprint by changing its fleet from high carbon emitting older technology aircraft, to next-generation, Austrian-manufactured, Diamond DA 42 NG aircraft.

The DA 42 NG can run on SAF, which is plant-based, reducing emissions by over 90% when the power plants’ additional efficiency is factored in.

AFTA chief executive and head of training Mark Casey said: 

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB

We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint significantly in line with Government policy by 2030.

“We are committed to achieving the 2030 deadline for a 100% fleet conversion to SAF ahead of schedule and we are in current discussions with manufacturers and airframe retrofit component providers to lock in an achievable timeline to conversion.”

Ireland South MEP Seán Kelly visited AFTA’s facility this week.  

“It is important Europe continues to lead the world in the transition to green energy," he said. 

"How we can get there sooner is through continuing our green innovation supports for innovative SMEs, such as AFTA, and I wish them continued success in their ambition to convert their entire aircraft fleet to SAF burning power plant fuels in the coming years.”