Thank you "light blue charter" and KLM/AF and some others for valuable input. Got a question about the VINGA project. Translation, quick and dirty from GoogleTranslator:
Apollo airline Novair has assumed an important role to push environmental issues in the aviation industry, and to implement them in their own operations.
From a process to develop internal procedures to become more environmentally conscious, this commitment has increased. Today Novair is advisor in major projects for the aerospace industry in Sweden and Europe concerning the efficiency of air traffic.
- We believe it is important to help reduce emissions and noise reduction around our airports. We took a big step in 2007 when we began to fine tune our own flight process with great success. Since then it has escalated. Now we are advisers in the major European modernization project of air traffic control, SESAR. It is great fun and we see great progress with the work already, "says Henrik Ekstrand, a pilot of Novair and one of the most active members of the SESAR project in Novair.
The aim of the project aims to unite all airspace in Europe and create a single European airspace (Single European Sky "). This commitment consists of two parts: the development of new technologies, and the projects implemented now, with a focus on using existing technology to best effect. Vinga and MINT projects are examples of these initiatives, and aims to accelerate the introduction in Europe.
In its efforts to reduce noise and emissions have Novair over the past three years have identified several problem areas that impede the industry's environmental development. These questions run Novair now for the industry's behalf, sometimes myself, sometimes together with other stakeholders who share the same views.
- Many issues we are working on a national basis are linked to the Swedish environmental legislation and lead times to get the changes are long. One example is the noise issue for aircraft that affects the area around our airports, an issue that arose in recent years. Now we see with pleasure that the start of positive things happen in the matter, "said Henry.
The goal of Novair involvement in environmental issues is to accelerate the implementation of modern technologies and tools in the daily operation, and to create incentives to do so. The more people who apply the technology the greater the results can be achieved. Some examples of issues that Novair interested in extra for are:
1st Noise versus emissions: To avoid having to fly over densely populated areas in the vicinity of the airport usually require a detour which means increased consumption of fuel and increased emissions.
In the case of departing traffic, it is imperative to create a law based on what type of aircraft used. A modern aircraft noise significantly less than older aircraft. In the current situation, we have no such law for such Stockholm Arlanda Airport.
With regard to inbound traffic, we have historically flown on a straight flight path just before landing. Can you instead make a "curved approach", which requires much more sophisticated navigation technology while gliding to the airport on landing so it uses much less fuel and you do not make a noise which people live (this has Novair been through and done at Stockholm Arlanda Airport and at Gothenburg Landvetter Airport).
2nd Reduction of CO2 emissions: Here Novair working on a broad front to minimize the weight of the aircraft, perfecting the flight operational processes and implement new navigation technology. Profit is the fuel savings. A good example of how to ultimately reduce emissions.
3rd Implementing new technologies: Novair trying to encourage the airline industry at large to implement new technology. In response to that is being discussed a proposal to aircraft equipped with such equipment should be given priority to land when it is queued in the air above the airport ("best equipped, best Served"). New technology allows airlines to fly more environmentally friendly and disturb less of airport neighbors.
In three years Novair managed to reduce their own carbon emissions by 5% by tuning its operational flight process, which should be seen as a great success. Novair great interest in environmental issues has meant that international organizations have their eyes on Novair competence and commitment. As there is also growing raft of projects with successful results have steadily improved, for example:
EcoFly Sweden: an ongoing project in cooperation with such LFV and SAS since 2007. The goal was to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Swedish air space of at least 10 000 tonnes per year.
Results: The project is still active and an interim report from 2009 shows that the targets were exceeded. EcoFly Sweden has achieved savings of over 20 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually in Sweden.
MINT: Green "curved approaches" to Stockholm Arlanda airport. The project was implemented in 2009 with the goal of implementing technology curved approach to Arlanda to avoid flying over Upplands Väsby. From 2018 it is not allowed to fly over Upplands of a turning before landing (airport's condition 6).
Results: This approach technique is now used, and the savings are about 0.5 tonnes of carbon in reduced emissions per approach.
VINGA: An ongoing project funded by the EU, where Novair, the only Swedish carriers, contributing to reduce carbon emissions and noise. The project is carried out at Gothenburg Landvetter Airport and covers all parts of a flight assignment, ie. to fly straight to and from Gothenburg Landvetter Airport, green curved flights, efficient ground movement and efficient departures.
The purpose of the VINGA project is to be the good example that helps to accelerate the process of change in the industry and few other European airports to implement this environmentally friendly way to fly.
The official VINGA-flights are scheduled to start in early 2011. In autumn 2010, Novair carried about 60 pieces of curved approaches to Gothenburg Landvetter Airport as an early validation, to build up expertise among pilots and air traffic controllers.
Results: Based on the first test flights ensures good indications that the project will result in savings of up to 0.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide per approach. In addition, we relieve certain very overflight traffic. It is easy to see what such a measure would bring about the introduction of internationally.
Both MINT and Vinga's SESAR project, in which the aviation stakeholders to work together to achieve the best results. In such Vinga-project work Novair with CAA, Gothenburg Landvetter Airport, Airbus and its subsidiaries Quovadis.
On their way to achieving ambitious targets
The European targets for the civil aviation sector is to achieve a halving of carbon emissions to 2020 relatively modern technology.
- The international goals for 2020 is ambitious, but we are already well underway. About 2020 we look back 20 years time we will fly safer, cheaper and more environmentally friendly than we do today, "says Henrik Ekstrand.
In order to aviation environmental improvements will continue to increase needed new technologies. The aviation industry is now waiting for new engines with sharper technology will be launched within the next year of the major motor manufacturers who can be a double-digit improvement, and thus a major step closer to targets.
- As airlines, we can do much themselves to fly more environmentally conscious, but the great progress made in pace with new technologies and alternative fuels become more and more accessible. So together we will be able to achieve very good results, "says Henrik Ekstrand.
There are many factors that will contribute to 2020 targets achieved:
• New technologies for engines, aerodynamics and lighter materials
• Development of air traffic control that allows more direct and more efficient flights, coupled to a single European airspace (Single European Sky)
• Smart navigation
In addition to this, we will see an increased use of biofuels by 2020 to reduce aviation's dependence on oil.
Film
The film shown to passengers depicts VINGA project in a real flight environment and can be seen on YouTube (5 min):
YouTube - En bättre resa