Airway technology for clean flights – Travel Business

What can airlines actually do to make air traffic more sustainable? The Lufthansa Group proves how it works: it is now equipping its fleet with innovative flight path technology to avoid expensive diversions into the atmosphere and thus carbon dioxide₂– To avoid emissions. According to the European Commission, this new aviation data technology should become mandatory for all airlines in Europe by 2028.

For more climate-friendly air traffic, it is not just low-fuel aircraft and sustainable fuels (such as “sustainable aviation fuels” as a real alternative to fossil aviation fuels), but also modern airspace management. The Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Extended Decade Projected File (ADS-C EPP) continuously transmits flight data to Earth in real time, enabling continuous adjustment of the current flight path.

Current flight information is transmitted automatically and in real-time to air traffic control as a 4D flight path in the dimensions of space (longitude, latitude, altitude) and time using this flight path technology. The resulting data is highly accurate and makes it possible to control the airspace more efficiently.

Air traffic controllers can at any time determine optimally coordinated flight paths for all aircraft equipped with the technology and thus make better use of flight space capacity. The result: avoiding complex detours and consumption of kerosene and carbon dioxide₂-Emissions are declining.

This means in numbers: Each aircraft equipped with this innovative flight path technology saves up to 80 tons of CO2.₂ annually. This results in a significant potential of around 750,000 tons of CO2 for European airlines₂ Yes, honestly. This corresponds to approximately 50,000 flights from Frankfurt to Barcelona.

How flight path technology works

ADS-C EPP also improves take-offs and landings: in a traditional “stair flight”, aircraft reach the desired altitude in individual stages on take-off.

Naturally, this uses more fuel and requires air traffic controllers to give instructions every step of the way. However, in ADS-C EPP enhanced climbs, the aircraft can climb continuously and save fuel. The flight path technology also saves carbon dioxide during landing₂emissions, because they allow aircraft to fly at their optimal, most fuel-efficient altitude for a longer period of time.

To get all CO₂– In order to realize potential savings, all airlines and air traffic control services must use new technology in the future. However, airlines will only invest in technological equipment for their fleet if Brussels adheres to the decision to introduce it from 2028.

“It is therefore important that the EU Commission clearly and bindingly follows the current timetable, thus providing important incentives for investments now.” The Lufthansa Group is demanding and now using new flight path technology on its flights to create more CO2 as quickly as possible.₂-Save emissions. More than 65 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft will fly this innovative system from 2024.

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