Avfuel has increased its European sales support presence in 2023, adding two new fuel sales representatives just in time for introductions at EBACE.

Patrick Perra, sales contractor for Sweden, comes to Avfuel from Air BP, where he served for five years as manager of general aviation and military accounts for the UK and Nordics. During his time there, Perra was responsible for sales and marketing activities, helping his team increase its financial performance to consistently meet targeted goals while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

A native of Sweden, Perra began his career at Statoil, now Equinor, in 2000, where he served as sales support manager for marine lubricants and project lead for implementation of SAP R/3 real-time data processing. A five-year stint as sales manager for Circle K, where he was responsible for a portfolio of nearly 100 commercial airlines, led to Perra's role as head of fuel management for Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), where he handled all aviation fuel purchasing, valued at more than $200 million annually.

Lucy Steele, operations officer at Avflight Belfast City (EGAC) in Northern Ireland, begins her transition to Avfuel's sales support officer at EBACE2023, joining Ryan Hogg, Avfuel's district manager of European sales, to meet customers and become familiar with their fuel needs.

“Lucy has been an exemplary operations officer, learning every aspect of Avflight's business, from marshalling aircraft to arranging catering for guests,” Hogg says. “She understands the workings of FBOs, so she's attuned to their needs and ready to take on the fuel supply aspect. She's a good fit.”

Joel Hist, Avfuel' senior vice president of sales, adds: “As Avfuel's international presence has grown, so have the needs of our customers. Adding Patrick and Lucy to our sales team will help support this market segment as international expansion continues to be a priority for Avfuel in 2023 and beyond. I am confident in Patrick and Lucy's ability to care for our customers' needs with the human approach they've come to expect. We are excited to welcome Patrick and Lucy on board in their new roles.”

With a leadership position in the sustainable aviation fuel supply chain, Avfuel Corporation has taken on the SAF needs of OEMs, FBOs and flight departments ahead of the 2023 EBACE.

Avfuel collaborated with three of the industry's major aircraft original equipment manufacturers, Dassault Falcon Jet, Embraer and Textron, to provide their flight departments with Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel in North America prior to their trans-Atlantic trip to Geneva.

The logistics of doing so was no small feat. The SAF deliveries spanned from Wichita, Kansas, (KICT) in mid-America, down to Little Rock, Arkansas, (KLIT) and Melbourne, Florida, (KMLB) at its most southeasterly point.

With an average blend ratio of 30 per cent SAF to petroleum-based jet fuel, the EBACE-designated fuel deliveries (four truckloads in total) provide a 76 metric ton reduction in carbon emissions over the fuel's lifecycle. This is the equivalent of the amount of carbon emissions created by consuming 176 barrels of oil.

SAF is available at Geneva airport (GVA) in Switzerland in time for EBACE. Sustainable aviation fuel, a cornerstone of the industry's unified plan for achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, has the potential to reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from aviation by as much as 80% over traditional fuels.

Fixed base operator Jet Aviation will provide the fuel, which was delivered on May 19 just ahead of the show. The event, co-hosted by the European Business Aviation Association and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), takes place at the Palexpo convention centre and adjoining Geneva International airport.

Additionally, other companies are stepping forward to promote SAF and business aviation sustainability. Avfuel Corporation (booth N72) is adding its supply of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel to airports for EBACE-bound flights from Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock, Arkansas; Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) in Kansas; and Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) in Florida.

Aircraft operators will also be able to choose SAF through a book-and-claim transaction that enables the purchase of the fuel, even when it is not physically available at a departing airport. Through a partnership between Avfuel and Atlantic Aviation, this option for promoting the production, availability and use of SAF will be available at New York's White Plains Airport (HPN).

“EBACE offers an important opportunity to showcase the promise of sustainable aviation fuels as part of our comprehensive strategy for achieving net-zero carbon emissions in the years ahead,” says NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “We thank the leaders who are stepping forward to make availability of the fuel a centrepiece of the convention.”

“EBACE2023 highlights the immense potential of sustainable aviation fuels, propelling us towards an aviation industry that fully embraces environmental responsibility,” adds EBAA chairman Juergen Wiese. “With the capacity to slash greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% already today, we look forward to even more renewable alternative feedstocks and exciting upcoming methods of producing fuel from municipal waste as well as water, air and renewable energy sources. Together, we forge a greener future for business aviation.”