Sustainability

After agreement on emissions trading for aviation, sustainable aviation fuels remain in focus.

Airbus, Air France, CFM, Rolls-Royce, Universal Hydrogen and other major players are executing long-term radical sustainability plans.

Azzera is a new provider of carbon offsetting and compliance solutions for business aviation, and has been quite busy since launching at EBACE 2022.

IATA estimates that sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production will reach at least 300 million liters in 2022—a 200% increase on 2021’s 100 million liters.

The EU’s Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement on revising the EU Emissions Trading System for aviation.

IATA is look for a new senior vice president to handle the environment and sustainability brief after Sebastian Mikosz left the organization.

Virgin Atlantic plans to buy 10 million U.S. gal. per annum of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), to be produced by Gevo and supplied by Delta Air Lines.

Airbus is concerned the industry is not moving fast enough toward its net zero target and is shifting focus to hydrogen fuel cell tests.

JetBlue has signed an MOU to purchase at least 92 million gal. of blended SAF over five years from Fildelis New Energy.

Modified Cessna Skymaster plays key role in Canadian low-emission aviation program research effort.

A twofold specific energy improvement is sought in batteries, seen as the weak link so far in a hybrid-electric architecture.

The French government is seeking to reduce carbon emissions by moving short-haul domestic trips from air to rail.

The formula for a net-zero aviation fuel that would pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere when burned has been developed by researchers.

France has welcomed a European Commission announcement that the country can legally ban domestic flights for which there is a rail alternative of under 2.5 hrs.

Airbus Summit attendees were urged to focus on the emerging problems of hydrogen leakage and a lack of standards, applicable also to sustainable aviation fuels.

Bombardier formally opened a 22-bay MRO facility here Nov. 30 as the airframer ramps up worldwide support for its range of increasingly large aircraft.

Near-term opportunities include using off-gases from ethanol plants to produce SAF and mineralizing captured CO2 to produce aggregates for use in infrastructure

The agreement focuses in particular on Ryanair’s largest bases such as Dublin and London Stansted.

United Airlines is looking ahead to electrification of its ground operations.

Airbus plans to flight-test a hydrogen fuel cell engine on its modified A380 testbed, as it already intended to do with a hydrogen-fueled turbofan.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury warned the aerospace industry is not moving fast enough.

Airbus Helicopters hopes demonstrator can prove out technologies to reduce their carbon emissions by 50%.

Listen in as Aviation Week editors report from the Airbus Summit in Toulouse.

Turning commercial air travel into a sustainable, carbon net-zero industry will make flying more expensive and airlines may have to change their business models, experts acknowledge.

New aircraft windscreens are incorporating materials and designs aimed at improving both performance and sustainability.