New Flight Efficiency Targets Aim To Deliver 600,000 Tonnes Of CO2 And £120m Of Fuel Savings Over Next 3 Years

Carbon dioxide emissions equalling around 3,000 flights between London and New York could be saved over the next three years thanks to new flight efficiency targets published for consultation today by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The CAA is proposing new targets for NATS, the UK’s largest air navigation service provider, aimed at reducing aircraft carbon emissions, with bonus or penalty payments depending on NATS’ performance.

CAA’s proposal is based on several years of development work by NATS responding to requests from its airline customers. It will establish Europe’s most comprehensive and developed incentive regime to encourage the most environmentally efficient use of airspace.

In addition to the carbon savings, it is expected that if NATS meets the new targets it could save airlines up to £120m in fuel costs over the next three years.

Announcing the start of the consultation, Iain Osborne, CAA Director of Regulatory Policy, said: “The aviation sector can only continue to grow, with all the social and economic benefits that brings, if it is environmentally sustainable. That’s why the collaboration between NATS and their airline customers working with the CAA to put in place this efficiency target is so welcome – it shows the potential for real environmental benefits when we work together.”

Richard Deakin, NATS Chief Executive, added: “Improved environmental performance is at the heart of NATS’ work to help create a sustainable future for the industry, which is essential if we’re to be allowed to grow. It also makes good basic business sense as fewer emissions mean less fuel burned – part of our continuing focus on providing the most efficient service to help reduce operating costs for airlines and for our own business. NATS is already working towards stretching targets to reduce ATM-related CO2 which we believe are in line with this new performance measure.

“NATS has led the world in developing this metric, which is the only incentivised flight efficiency metric in Europe.”

Laurie O’Toole, International Air Transport Association Assistant Director, said: “IATA fully supports the introduction of a 3D flight efficiency metric with the CAA’s proposed par value, combining the vertical profile with the horizontal track, and recognises the significant role of NATS in developing the new metric. Given the importance of flight efficiency to airlines, IATA will be urging the European Commission (EC) to consider introduction of a similar metric in the near future which will be of considerable economic value to airlines.”

The proposed regime, and the metric that underpins it, is based on analysis of actual radar tracks since 2006, establishing an average efficiency level in terms of horizontal and vertical flight trajectories in other words how direct the route is, and how smooth the climb and descent for every flight. Flight trajectories have significant impacts on fuel burn and therefore on carbon emissions.

The CAA will work closely with NATS once the regime is in place next year to ensure it is achieving the aims and consider how it can evolve to drive further environmental benefits. NATS and CAA will monitor and publish monthly performance figures.

The measures on flight efficiency complement existing financial incentives for NATS to maintain low delays for flights – which have resulted in projected average delays per flight 30% better than the headline target in 2011.

Source: UK CAA