general

Greenhouse gas emissions from commercial air travel are growing at a faster clip than predicted in previous, already dire, projections, according to new research — putting pressure on airline regulators to take stronger action. The United Nations aviation body forecasts that airplane that airplane emissions of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, will reach just over 900m metric tons in 2018, and then triple by 2050. But the new research, from the International Council on Clean Transportation, found that emissions from global air travel may be increasing more than 1.5 times as fast as the UN estimate. The researchers analysed nearly 40m flights around the world last year. “Airlines, for all intents and purposes, are becoming more fuel efficient. But we’re seeing demand outstrip any of that,” said the study. <br/>

The nation's top aviation regulator tested new flight-control software for the Boeing 737 Max in a simulator Thursday and gave it a favourable review. New FAA chief Stephen Dickson, who is a pilot, also toured the Max assembly line near Seattle and met with senior Boeing officials. Boeing hopes the FAA will allow it to fly again in the next couple months. But Dickson said his agency has no timetable for reviewing changes that Boeing is making to the plane. Boeing has not yet submitted its safety analysis of the changes. Dickson said he has seen draft materials that still need more work. He did not provide details. Dickson said he will fly a Max jet — not just a simulator — before the plane is ungrounded. <br/>