The greening of aerospace

The aerospace industry has always worked under an intensely regulated environment to ensure quality and safety. However, it is becoming more politically charged as “green” environmental issues impact the airlines, end-customers, and consequently aerospace suppliers.

Strong global economies and cheap flights through the low cost Carriers have stimulated a boom in air travel – and consequently more aircraft capacity - that has completely reversed the near-collapse of commercial aviation and aerospace in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 (see figure below). However, this growth has also amplified demands for Carriers to increase ticket prices and, along with their aircraft suppliers, improve efficiencies in aircraft operations to reduce environmental impacts of noise, pollution, and carbon emissions.

While environmental interests and the surrounding political debate is relatively new in the aerospace sector, Carriers and their aerospace suppliers have always been driven to increase operating efficiency, because it translates directly to profitability. Hence the environmental sustainability debate is largely aligned to the concerns of the aerospace industry. For A&D, it does not make business sense not to seek greater efficiency.

By reducing weight through greater use of carbon-fibre structures and alloys, improving fuel efficiency in new engine designs, and increasing aerodynamic performance, the aerospace sector has typically generated 2-3% year-on-year efficiency improvements in fuel burn, noise, and range. This savings has directly translated to reductions in noise, pollution, and flight cycles (take offs and landings).

Carriers have responded by replacing older aircraft with new, more efficient designs, especially since 9/11, to modernize the global fleet. Optimum efficiency will be the key design parameter for the next generation of commercial aircraft, typified in the replacements for the B737 and A320 types that are so ubiquitous around the world.

The next efficiencies need to come from areas such as improved international air traffic management arrangements and airport operating systems to reduce flight times. Additionally, the aerospace sector may need to join the political debate around the use of carbon trading to offset emissions.