Out in the Swiss countryside last week the Solar Impulse made its virgin voyage, where it cruised for 87 minutes at an altitude of 1,200 metres, demonstrating conclusive proof that an airplane can fly without any emissions. This solar-powered airplane is designed to fly day and night without fuel or emissions as it relies solely on the energy absorbed from 12,000 solar cells, built into its wings of the aircraft. The energy absorbed is saved in high-performance batteries and is used to power the four electric engines the plane runs on. Key to the design of this zero-emission aircraft is its weight – the body is made from carbon fibre meaning in total it weighs just 1,600 kilograms- that’s about the same as a mid-sized car!
The objective of this particular mission was to verify that the plane’s flight behaviour is in line with the calculations and simulations done using the flight simulator. Given that such a large and light plane had never been flown before, the behavior of the plane under real flying conditions remained unexplored, yet the test showed extremely positive results. The test pilot, Markus Scherdel, reported a stable and controllable ride from the outset and project leaders confirmed that all objectives had been reached. The Solar Impulse project, initiated by Bertrand Piccard in 2004, had been designed as a prototype for an aircraft intended to fly around the world without fuel in 2012. Of course this plane is not the passenger-carrying type, yet the model has proved very useful for testing new technologies that could potentially be used for driving some aircraft systems in the future.
Last week was also witness to two successful test flights coordinated by AIRE (the Atlantic, Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions). The door to door flights were undertaken by Air France and American Airlines on the Paris – Miami route, and represented the first ever transatlantic flights whose objective was focused entirely around the reduction of greenhouse gas emission and noise pollution. The flights involved the cooperation of the air traffic control centres of France (DSNA), the UK (NATS), Portugal (Nav-Portugal) and the USA (FAA) along the route. Procedures adopted by Air France included shorter taxiing times at both airports, continuous climb, optimum altitude and speed during the cruise phase, and a continuous descent approach on arrival into Miami. The American Airlines’ flight included single-engine taxiing, continuous climb-out and descent, optimized routing over water and a tailored arrival. The results announced showed CO2 emissions reductions of 6-9 metric tons and fuel savings of 2-3 metric tons!
Plane Talking
Results tagged “efficiency” from Plane Talking
On Wednesday last week, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, made his maiden official visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he talked about renewable energy and carbon emissions. Chu talked at length about the importance of developing and deploying renewable energy, including algae for biofuels. He emphasised the huge progress that was being made by UAE in this area, and the real potential this is showing. Chu was also keen to outline the necessity of improving energy efficiency if we are to adapt to our changing world where over-consumption of energy not only causes climate change issues, but draws hugely on depleting sources. Energy efficiency is an area on which the aviation industry has been working hard, with efforts being focused on redesigning engines, aircraft and even the flight routes to reduce fuel consumption. Chu gave a brilliant example of what innovation can achieve by comparing the Boeing 777 with the Bar-tailed Godwit. The Bar-tailed Godwit is a large wader bird which makes the longest known non-stop flight – 11,000 km – of any bird and also the longest journey without pausing to feed by any animal. The aeroplane does the same (substituting the animal with fuel, of course!) and without using up all their energy!
This practice of taking inspiration for man-made design directly from nature is called biomimicry. It is the idea that using knowledge of biological adaptations, we can solve design and engineering challenges sustainably. Comparing birds to aircraft seems like a logical one – both are designed to fly long distances, using as little energy as possible and allowing for a comfortable ride. Hence, aircraft manufacturers are happy take their top tips from Mother Nature when thinking about new aircraft design.
Another example of this comes from a group of researchers at Stanford University. On discovery that birds are able to boost the distance they can fly by more than 70% though the use of the V-shape formation (pictured to the right), the researchers thought to apply the same tactic to planes. In this formation, a bird in front (or plane) creates a small updraft that lifts the bird behind. As each bird passes, they add their own energy to the stroke helping all the birds maintain flight. By travelling in a V-shape with planes taking turns in front as birds do, these researchers believe aircraft could use 15% less fuel compared to flying solo. Of course, this is a great theory, but in reality it may prove to be difficult to achieve for commercial flights - rarely do a 'flock' of aircraft all want to go to the same destination at the same time. But such research can lead to any number of discoveries with future applications.
Below is a video of Janine Benyus, a American natural sciences writer, giving a talk on biomimicry last August. She offers an inspiring analysis of how much nature can teach us about science and design, and indeed dating… listen out for the courtship dance of the Western Grebe!
In December, we witnessed the first test flight of the Boeing 787, a new generation of super-efficient aircraft. The 787 test aircraft (ZA001 and ZA002) have now logged well over 100 hours of flight tests and are proving to be even more fuel-efficient than the designers thought. Well, on Monday another new Boeing, the 747-8, took to the skies for the first time. And this new model will also be a very thrifty plane if the first test flight is anything to go by.
In 1969, Boeing rolled out the first generation of true jumbo jet - the 747. Since then, new models have included the -200, -300 and -400 series. But when Boeing sat down to look at its next generation of big aircraft, they decided to re-engineer the 747 with a whole new wing, new engines (actually based on the 787's engines), and a stretched fuselage. They called it the 747-8 series and these new features were designed specifically to increase fuel efficiency.
As Jason Paur of Wired Magazine reports, they may have reduced fuel use even more than they thought:
"Well into the first flight of Boeing’s new 747-8, co-pilot Tom Imrich brought up the fuel page on a display in the cockpit. Chief pilot Mark Feuerstein did a double take when he saw it. The plane, which was burning less fuel than expected. “You’re generally familiar with the odd burns — off nominal, and you know what they are,” Feuerstein said, explaining the unusual flying conditions of a first flight. “I said, ‘This is amazing.’”
The test flights, and first deliveries of this new aircraft, are the frieght-only version. But the normal version, expected to carry around 465 passengers, has been sold to Lufthansa and Korean Air.
While this may sound like a contradiction in terms, it is actually the result of an upcoming initiative by AirFrance which is aimed at cutting CO2 emissions by 5,200 tonnes per year. Air France is to introduce a new economy class seat into its short-haul cabins, a design which is 40% lighter than previous seats and gives passengers 5 to 7.5 cm more leg room. By removing the old, bulky seats, AirFrance has allowed each aircraft to weigh around 750kg less, whilst making the ride more comfortable for passengers at the same time as fitting an extra 6 people on each flight. The resulting savings of 1,700 tonnes of fuel a year is not only environmentally sound, but economically sound as well. AirFrance have also decided to replace the standard mechanical seat recline function with a natural recline to reduce the annoyance to passengers behind… get ready to test these out from the end of this month!
Elsewhere, Etihad Airways is also looking to improve the efficiency of its fleet as it begins talks with Mitsubishi over a new jet that can cut fuel consumption by up to 20% - the Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ). The aircraft’s innovative engine, aerodynamic design, and noise analysis technology allows it to reduce fuel consumption, noise and emissions and cut costs. The MRJ, which has also received interest from the Japanese and US market, will take its first test flight at the end of 2012 and start commercial operations in 2014. A prototype is on display at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.
It’s all happening in the Far East this week, where some significant alliances have been achieved with regards to the aviation sector.
China, for example, is expected to become Boeing’s research and development partner for environmentally friendly technologies designed to improve the environmental performance of aircraft. A key part of their partnership will be to develop biofuels, with a near term plan expected to involve the commercialisation of jatropha. China itself has impressive resources of jatropha and other biofuel feedstocks– by 2020 it is expecting to have developed 13 million hectares of biofuel plantations; that’s enough to yield 6 million tonnes of biodiesel annually.
Travelling a little further East and Japan has just recently become the latest member of ASPIRE – an initiative focused on improving the efficiency of aircraft operations with the ultimate aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Being a big player in the aviation industry, Japan’s move to join ASPIRE represents a big step up in collective efforts to limit the industry’s environmental impact. To mark this event, Japan Airlines completed the latest ASPIRE flight demonstration – a flight from Honolulu to Osaka which included the most efficient, advanced technologies and procedures; including just-in-time fueling, preferred routes over the ocean, optimising speed and altitude and using a tailored-arrival approach to the destination airport.
Gulf Air is also making moves to maximize efficiency as it officially begins its fleet renewal programme for Airbus with the arrival of the first 10 A320’s, which will replace the older narrow-body aircrafts. Airbus’ innovations and performance advances have made the aircraft more operationally efficient, reducing costs and fuel burn which allows for better environmental performance. And the A320’s also have a special feature… they use a chromate-free paint which requires 15% less paint when applied to the aircraft, resulting in lighter aircraft, less fuel burn and so ultimately less aircraft CO2 emissions – clever thinking!
‘Research and Markets’ have provided us with some uplifting news this week, announcing the release of their new ‘Airports go green’ report. As we’ve noted in recent weeks, airports have made significant contributions in fighting climate change by adopting numerous strategies to limit their emissions. ‘Airports go green’ is dishing out some well-deserved praise to those airports that have acted to reduce their environmental impact, offering case studies and explaining the initiatives that have been taken. It is just this type of encouragement which will create the incentive for others to follow!
New cross-industry agreements are resulting in further improvements in the environmental performance of aircrafts. For example, the long-term supply agreement established this week between Honeywell and China Southern Airlines, which will see new Auxiliary Power Units installed in their Airbus A320’s and Boeing Next-Generation 737’s. This move is set to reduce fuel consumption by 5% per aircraft.
Looking forward, Airbus is expected to make an announcement in the coming weeks on the new winglet programme for the Airbus A320 family… once it has decided which winglet design it will use! Airbus has already said it will go ahead with the programme which will reduce fuel burn by 2% - 4% depending on the design chosen. So now all that’s left is to make the final decision: an Aviation Partners blended winglet design, or an Airbus-own design interestingly called "sharklets"?
At a ceremony today in Toulouse, the regional aircraft manufacturer ATR presented their newest product, the ATR 72-600, the first in what’s going to be the ATR ‘-600 series’. The new aircraft is which has been designed specifically to have the lowest possible fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per passenger. These regional turboprop aircraft are already pretty efficient for short hops, so the latest designs must be even better.
ATR have nick-named the 72-600 the ‘city car in the sky’ due to its high efficiency in short-haul flights, flight trials started in July this year, and the aircraft is predicted to enter into commercial service in 2011. Some more information is available here (article in French) and check out this very stylish promotional video for the aircraft.
No, hopefully not. This design concept, by a British-based design agency who specialises in transport design, will hopefully go no further than the drawing board. Although it claims to allow for greater occupancy of an aircraft, I am not convinced that would be so - it would also only be an option for narrowbody aircraft. In any case, I am sure we can find much better ways to be more environmentally efficient and I don't think that airlines or passengers will allow this idea to get off the ground. Well, maybe one airline might try to do it...
Mothers are always reminding their children to wash behind their ears... perhaps airline CEOs should be reminding their mainanance teams to wash out their engines, if the results of Southwest Airlines' engine washing programme are anything to go by.
The airline contracted Pratt & Whitney to conduct more frequent engine washes on its jets. These get rid of the small bits of dirt that can gather on the internal parts of an engine over time and which lead to a loss in aerodynamic efficiency. Since they started conducting such washes in July 2006, over 1,500 have been performed and this has saved over 90,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.
I have posted this YouTube clip of a Southwest engine wash before, but it is worth checking out to see how the guys from Pratt & Whitney actually conduct these washes - which are all done in an environmentally-friendly way.
I posted a week or so ago about the third in a series of ‘ASPIRE’ flights that took place across the Pacific Ocean. Following on from demonstrations of the ‘perfect flight’ by Air New Zealand and Qantas, United Airlines performed a flight last Friday using every possible air traffic control and operational efficiency innovation available. While each of the little savings is small, when added together, the flight saved over 6000 litres of Jet-A1 fuel and therefore nearly 15,000 kilos of carbon dioxide emissions.
And to top it all off, the plane was met by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger when it landed in San Francisco. He said that the use of such emissions reduction techniques should become the norm – something I wholeheartedly agree with. It is no time to start terminating such progress (bad joke in there… well, it is Friday).
When everyone gets their heads together and looks beyond their day-to-day operations, some outstanding work can be done.
One of the most important functions of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) is to bring organisations together and ensure the best outcomes for the industry, travellers, the economy, society and the environment.
Such coordination is vital in any industry, but none more so than in aviation, where each player has a big effect on the overall system. Airlines for example simply cannot operate without air traffic control or airports.
I said outstanding work, and here it is: spurred on by the spiralling impact of fuel prices and the need to reduce emissions, IATA, CANSO and Eurocontrol have released what they are calling the Flight Efficiency Plan.
The Flight Efficiency Plan follows five work streams: enhancing airspace design; improving enroute airspace utilisation; more efficient landing and take-off procedures; collaborative decision making to ensure airport infrastructure is used most efficiently; and improving awareness on performance.
Each step shaves precious minutes, seconds and kilometres off flight routings. This may not sound significant, but as these small savings will be made on each of the more than 10 million flights taking place each year in Europe, big overall savings can be made.
In fact, there is expected to be an annual reduction in fuel use of 470 tonnes which equates to around 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 and, importantly for passengers, more direct flights and fewer delays.
Now that's cooperation!
