Aviation and the Environment

1
Aviation and the Environment
2
The Role of General Aviation

• The aviation industry has been successful in
  adopting an environmental agenda that supports a
  sustainable aviation environment.
• This agenda includes testing alternative fuels to
  be used in aircraft, developing carbon offsets,
  and encouraging green airports.

3
The Facts on Aviation Emissions

• Aviation accounts for only 3 of greenhouse gas
  (GHG) emissions worldwide, according to data from
  the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
• U.S. aviation industry has reduced GHG emissions
  by 13 since 2000. General aviation and U.S.
  airlines are doing a better job of transporting
  passengers on less fuel, by harmonizing
  schedules, switching to more fuel-efficient
  aircraft and engines, and undertaking fuel-saving
  measures.

4
Facts Continued

• Aircraft fuel efficiency improved by 23 from
  2000-2006, based on the amount of fuel
  consumption per passenger mile, according to the
  U.S. Department of Transportation. While
  automobile fuel efficiency increased by 2.
• Aviation gasoline and jet fuel account for 12 of
  total petroleum product consumption. According
  to the Department of Energy, aviation gasoline
  and jet fuel supply account for 1,624,000 barrels
  per day compared to 20,588,000 barrels of all
  petroleum products used per day.

5
Facts on Alternative Fuels

• Alternative fuels programs exist within aviation.
  Virgin Fuels, Boeing, and GE Aviation have
  joined forces to develop an alternative fuel
  composed of babassu oil and a mixture of jet fuel
  and coconut oil.
• The University of North Dakota received a 5
  million grant to develop a cold weather
  sustainable biofuel to be used by the military.

6
Technology and the Environment

• New aviation technology is producing cleaner and
  more efficient aircraft. Advances in
  aerodynamics offer more efficient wings and
  designs with less drag. The Cirrus and Columbia
  aircraft are examples of more efficient general
  aviation aircraft. New composite materials are
  making aircraft lighter, resulting in increased
  fuel efficiency.

7
Federal Programs to Improve Emissions

• The FAA implemented the Reduced Vertical
  Separation Minimum, an ICAO concept, which
  reduces aircraft separation standards at certain
  altitudes, allowing aircraft to fly more optimum
  profiles safely, use less fuel and increase
  airspace capacity, saving about 3 million tons of
  carbon emissions annually.
• Many municipal governments, including Seattle,
  San Francisco and Denver, require a climate
  action plan, and state environmental regulatory
  agencies are requesting GHG inventory
  documentation as part of a state National
  Environmental Policy Act.

8
Energy Statistics

• Aviation accounts for 9 of the total
  transportation energy use.
• Highway transportation (cars, light trucks, and
  medium/heavy trucks) make up almost 80 of
  transportation energy use and contribute a
  similar level of GHGs.

9
General vs. Commercial Aviation

• General aviation accounts for less than one
  percent of the total transportation energy use in
  the United States.
• General aviations fuel use is one-seventh the
  amount of commercial air carriers fuel usage.

10
NATAs Environmental Initiatives

• NATA established an Environmental Committee to
  develop programs designed to assist member
  companies in minimizing their impact on the
  environment.
• NATA is establishing a program to make carbon
  offsets available to member companies, which
  includes a 3- to 4-cent per gallon carbon offset
  based on the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCE). CCE
  is the only voluntary, legally binding integrated
  trading system to reduce emissions of all six
  major GHGs, with offset projects worldwide.
• NATA encourages its member companies to meet
  proper environmental compliance standards,
  including a Spill Prevention Control and
  Countermeasure plan if fuel is stored above
  ground in tankers.

11
Support Air Traffic Modernization

• Support Next Generation Air Transportation System
  (NextGen) NextGen is the FAAs national plan to
  transform the air traffic control system from a
  ground-based navigation system using radar to a
  satellite-based system.
• FAA Reauthorization legislation will provide the
  resources to enable the FAA to make repairs and
  upgrades to existing facilities and equipment,
  and provide for high-priority safety-related
  systems.
• NextGen technology will allow more aircraft and
  routes to be determined within the airspace. And
  most importantly, utilizing new technologies to
  improve airspace usage will enable aircraft to
  fly routes more directly, thereby minimizing
  noise and the impact on the environment.

12
Conclusion

• The demand for air travel is increasing steadily.
  
• The FAA projects that by 2025 the number of
  domestic enplanements will have doubled to 1,482
  million per year.
• The environmental impact of air travel is
  increasingly important to consumers, and the
  aviation industry is collaborating to address
  this important issue.