Plane makers tout efficiency tech as aviation plots flight path to net zero
The workhorse plane of the future may look radically different to the familiar shape that has dominated the skies since the start of the jet age, according to Boeing, which is experimenting with a long, thin wing supported by struts from the fuselage. The US manufacturer hopes its new design can be among the technologies that will help the industry meet its target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Aviation accounts for more than 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions, almost half of which come from single-aisle aircraft such as Boeing’s 737 and European rival Airbus’s A320 that are largely used for shorter and medium-haul flights. This week’s Paris air show was dominated by orders for the latest models, which will be flying for another 25 years at least. But manufacturers are already shifting their focus to the technologies — like the unusual Boeing wing — that could replace today’s best-sellers. New generations of aircraft have typically consumed 15-20% less fuel than their predecessors, thanks largely to improved engines. Airbus’s single-aisle A321neo uses at least 20% less fuel per passenger than older planes, according to the company. With the next generation of planes, the stakes are much higher. Climate change presents a near-existential threat to commercial aviation. The industry has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions but not everyone is convinced the 2050 net zero target is achievable — a recent poll of industry executives by GE Aerospace found that 32% doubt it can be reached. Guillaume Faury, CE of Airbus, said this week that decarbonisation was one of the industry’s big challenges. It is going to be “very difficult” for the industry to keep growing and meet the 2050 target, Sir Tim Clark, president of Dubai-based Emirates Airlines told the Financial Times ahead of the show. Although the airline industry is already trying to mitigate its environmental impact in terms of its operations, “we as an airline community have to do more than we’ve done in the past”, he added.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2023-06-26/general/plane-makers-tout-efficiency-tech-as-aviation-plots-flight-path-to-net-zero
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Plane makers tout efficiency tech as aviation plots flight path to net zero
The workhorse plane of the future may look radically different to the familiar shape that has dominated the skies since the start of the jet age, according to Boeing, which is experimenting with a long, thin wing supported by struts from the fuselage. The US manufacturer hopes its new design can be among the technologies that will help the industry meet its target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Aviation accounts for more than 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions, almost half of which come from single-aisle aircraft such as Boeing’s 737 and European rival Airbus’s A320 that are largely used for shorter and medium-haul flights. This week’s Paris air show was dominated by orders for the latest models, which will be flying for another 25 years at least. But manufacturers are already shifting their focus to the technologies — like the unusual Boeing wing — that could replace today’s best-sellers. New generations of aircraft have typically consumed 15-20% less fuel than their predecessors, thanks largely to improved engines. Airbus’s single-aisle A321neo uses at least 20% less fuel per passenger than older planes, according to the company. With the next generation of planes, the stakes are much higher. Climate change presents a near-existential threat to commercial aviation. The industry has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions but not everyone is convinced the 2050 net zero target is achievable — a recent poll of industry executives by GE Aerospace found that 32% doubt it can be reached. Guillaume Faury, CE of Airbus, said this week that decarbonisation was one of the industry’s big challenges. It is going to be “very difficult” for the industry to keep growing and meet the 2050 target, Sir Tim Clark, president of Dubai-based Emirates Airlines told the Financial Times ahead of the show. Although the airline industry is already trying to mitigate its environmental impact in terms of its operations, “we as an airline community have to do more than we’ve done in the past”, he added.<br/>
