In June 2012, Airbus and Air Canada collaborated to conduct a “perfect flight”. This flight would bring together all the means and methods of reducing the environmental impact of a flight, finding ways to reduce CO2 emissions wherever possible. This meant using a modern, fuel efficient aircraft (in this case an A319), alongside the use of sustainable aviation fuel and a range of operational measures. This project demonstrated that bundling together all these efficiency measures could result in a 40% reduction in carbon emissions.
In May of this year, Singapore Airlines made their own perfect flight, this time dubbing the project a ‘green package’. SIA, in conjunction with Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore have committed to conducting a series of 12 flights between San Francisco and Singapore using similar methods to Air Canada’s previous showcase flight.
Using one of the most fuel efficient aircraft on the market (an Airbus A350-900) and carrying 206 passengers, SIA are demonstrating how much is possible when you bring together all the efficiency strategies on a single flight. As well as using an efficient aircraft, SIA are using sustainable aviation fuel produced by Alt Air and created from used cooking oil and incorporating ATM best practices. This ensures that flight time is restricted to the minimum, saving further fuel.
This initiative is a great example of what aviation can do when it puts its mind to it. In the years to come, we hope to see all flights operating with a ‘green package’.