US FBO chain Atlantic Aviation has further advanced Aspen/Pitkin County airport's position at the forefront of sustainability and customer experience with the successful transition of nearly all of its ramp service vehicles to electric power.

As part of its commitment to sustainability, Atlantic Aviation has begun using battery-powered ground power units (GPUs) at the Colorado airport; they not only eliminate noise but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by some 180 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year. In addition, Atlantic has put some of the industry's first all-electric fuel trucks, which were unveiled at the NBAA Schedulers & Dispatcher's Conference earlier this year, into service on its Aspen ramp.

The 10 all-electric GPUs mark the largest investment in these units by any FBO provider in the nation. They, along with the all-electric fuel trucks, join the company's fleet of electric tugs, carts and hybrid crew vehicles servicing customers and their aircraft and are contributing to a new standard for sustainable operations. Through these efforts, Atlantic has transitioned around 80 per cent of its ground fleet at Aspen airport to low or zero-emissions vehicles.

“Our efforts in Aspen are a key part of a cohesive strategy to raise the bar on what we as a company and as an industry can do to minimise business aviation's impact on the environment,” says chief commercial and sustainability officer Brian Corbett. “We realise ramp service vehicles and equipment are a significant source of carbon emissions and noise, both on the ramp and for our neighbours. Our long-term investment in battery-power, combined with promoting cooperative 'park quiet' programmes, provides our guests and members of the community with even greater enjoyment of the incredible beauty of the Roaring Fork Valley. Our work at Aspen sets a high standard for sustainability and noise reduction which we will be able to replicate at other locations across our network.”

The all-electric GPUs and fuel trucks are just the latest in Atlantic's meaningful efforts to reduce business aviation's environmental impact on the Aspen community. The company has been using all-electric tugs there since 2007 and in 2018 converted its entire facility to LED lighting. In 2020, Atlantic began purchasing verified, additionality-focused carbon offsets for all fuel pumped at Aspen airport, including fuel sold to commercial airlines, at no additional cost to customers.

On Earth Day in 2021, Atlantic began pumping SAF in Aspen, making it the second airport in Colorado with continuous availability. To date, the company has provided enough SAF to the state, via renewable diesel to maintain sustainable attributes, to meet all customer requests. In addition, Atlantic Aviation's Aspen location is certified as a Tier 3 Sustainability Standard for Aviation Businesses by NATA, the organisation's highest level of sustainability certification.