Entec
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Sustainable Aviation
A Flybe/Entec Case Study
The aviation industry has been identified as one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gases. Current estimates suggest that aviation contributes 2% of carbon dioxide emissions and this is set to continue growing with passengers in the UK alone doubling over the past ten years.
In this context Flybe decided to implement measures to demonstrate the environmental impact
of its activities and its sense of responsibility in reducing the carbon emissions produced by its aircraft. The result, produced with Entec’s help, is an aircraft eco-labelling scheme which Flybe hopes will bring pressure across the industry to adopt a similar scheme.
The airline appointed Entec as advisors on the environmental aspects that should be considered when preparing their label. Drawing upon Entec’s extensive experience in the aviation sector, recommendations were made that the label should rate each aircraft in terms of the environmental effects on the local environment, the global implications and the passenger environment.
Using an Entec-developed spreadsheet tool, calculations were then made based on standardised fuel use and emission indices compiled by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), supplemented by data from aircraft engine manufacturers.
An eco-label was then prepared for each individual aircraft covering the areas of noise, carbon dioxide emissions for the entire flight (both per seat and for the whole aircraft), the impact that particular length of journey had in terms of fuel consumption and carbon dioxide, and leg room.
The end result was a multi coloured system that ranked the performance of each type of plane
in the Flybe fleet in each area from A to F.
Passengers can find the aircraft’s label in their seat pocket, painted on the fuselage and on the airline’s website. The inclusion of the jet’s performance over different journey lengths for the first time provides passengers with detailed information on their carbon dioxide footprint by distance ranging from 500km to 1500km.
Although Flybe currently offers only short distance journeys, Entec widened its calculations to include long haul journeys of 5000km (eg from Schiphol Amsterdam to Halifax Canada and ultra long haul journeys of 10,000km eg Frankfurt to Los Angeles). Entec also rated several common passenger aircraft covering 40% of jets owned by UK registered airlines to provide a direct comparison of environmental impact against their competitors’ models, as well as between new and older planes.
Alun McIntyre, Technical Director at Entec, said: “We are delighted to have provided technical support on aircraft emissions and CO2 footprints for Flybe during the development of this pioneering eco-labelling scheme for the aviation sector. All of our clients take carbon management very seriously and, whilst emissions from aviation currently account for only a small proportion of the man-induced global total, projected growth in this sector would potentially result in increased future emissions. We applaud Flybe for having taken such a pro-active and responsible stance on this issue.”
The eco-labelling scheme allows passengers, on the basis of fully transparent disclosure, to assess the environmental impact of their journey. They will then be in a position to decide, on an informed basis, whether to carbon-offset that journey or consider the impact of their travel choices. With airlines such as Flybe working hard to demonstrate a sustainable approach to aviation, others will hopefully join them in working to reduce the impact of their operations.
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