Pratt & Whitney, ATR Partner On PW127 SAF Readiness

Pratt & Whitney Canada and regional aircraft manufacturer ATR have announced an agreement to collaborate on getting PW127-series engines ready to use 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The partnership is expected to include compatibility studies, engineering analyses and aircraft ground and flight tests. Along with Braathens Regional Airlines, Pratt & Whitney and ATR conducted a test flight with a PW127M-powered ATR 72-600 burning 100 percent SAF last June.

“Our collaboration with ATR will be underway throughout 2023 and 2024 and builds on our recent 100% SAF test flight with Braathens Regional Airlines, which was an industry first for regional aviation,” said Anthony Rossi, Pratt & Whitney Canada vice president for sales and marketing. “Alongside our efforts to continually enhance aircraft engine efficiency, SAF has a critical role to play on the journey to achieve the aviation industry’s goal of net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2050.”

The work will include Pratt & Whitney’s new PW127XT engine, which was introduced at the Dubai Airshow in November 2021 and powers ATR’s recently certified ATR 72 and 42 turboprops. Pratt & Whitney noted that certification of 100 percent SAF depends on ASTM International defining a specification for the fuel. The company expects that the fuel specification could be in place as soon as 2025.